Life After Death
by JenesisX
Summary: What does one do when their dearest wish suddenly comes true? Vincent is faced with the shocking return of a loved one and must decide how to react. (This story takes place in the Alternate Universe of Irony of Fate; Vincent/Lucrecia, Sephiroth/Aeris.)
1. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

((**Author's Notes:** This story takes place in my Irony of Fate AU, following that fic and its two direct sequels. It can be read on its own, however, if you simply accept my continuity. Sephiroth was snapped out of his insanity by Aeris, Vincent, and Lucrecia's ghost before he got to the crater. He joined Avalanche, found out Vincent is actually his father and fell in love with Aeris, and after stopping Meteor the team took over Junon Harbor. Those are the basics you need to know. I also subscribe to the original game only for my interpretation of Vincent and Lucrecia's relationship and all other information. So yeah, enjoy! _~ JenesisX_))

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><p>A lone woman stood just outside the city of Junon Harbor, bathed in the shadows of the first of its buildings and staring up at the large military base just ahead with distant recognition. Had it really been over thirty years since she'd last laid eyes on the sleepy fishing town and the hulking city that dominated the skyline behind it? Though she physically looked and felt no older, her soul bore the burden of those years, and she knew with certainty that she was correct. It really <em>had<em> been that long... And the town was showing its age.

When she'd last been there, Junon Harbor Town had been alive with a thriving fishing economy, filled with fishermen, boaters, and other merchants. There were many other residents who lived there as well, supporting themselves mostly through small private businesses. But now, as she walked through the town and looked about, she saw that most of the shops had closed down, though a few remained, struggling to stay alive like the dying fish floundering about in the polluted harbor. It was so much quieter, emptier... There were very few people on the streets ahead, and most of the buildings remained dark and silent despite the fact that it was the middle of the afternoon. Though she was glad not to have to face a crowd, the emptiness was still disturbing, and she shivered involuntarily.

She sighed as she continued to walk, wondering what had happened to the town. She supposed that having a huge military base lurking over its shoulder had eventually run off most of the small businesses... And the pollution and noise from all of the battleships docking there had probably killed or scared off most of the fish. She realized that made sense, as sad as it was... Once the Junon Harbor military base had been built, it was only been a matter of time before the original town was choked out beneath it. It was just like what happened to the Midgar slums. Just like what happened everywhere Shin-ra expanded...

She could see evidence that the town was beginning to fight back, however. There were a few new shops open, and some of the others looked as if they were preparing to do the same. Several displayed sale signs, and she spotted a handful of people working on general repairs and improvements. Maybe, with a little funding and effort, the town could still be saved. But that wasn't why she had come to Junon Harbor, she reminded herself. As bad as the situation there might have been, she had other things on her mind.

The woman swallowed hard, nearly overwhelmed by the mixed excitement and nervousness that twisted her stomach in knots every time she thought about her reason for traveling so far, all the way from Midgar and down the coastline. Most of it had been on chocobo-back, but there had been stretches where she'd had to walk as well, her aching feet more than happy to remind her of that fact. Now that she'd reached the town, she was exhausted, her every muscle aching and longing for rest. But she knew that the most trying part of her journey still awaited...

Steeling her nerves, she shoved her hands into her pockets so they wouldn't tremble so badly. She trained her eyes on the lift up ahead, which would take her into the military base above the small town. She hoped.

Her heart pounded when she saw an armed guard stationed there, outfitted in what was clearly a military uniform with a sword sheathed at one hip. His pants were loose and solid black, and his shirt was black as well, a gold phoenix spread out across the chest and a line of off-centered gold buttons running down one side. A medal denoting some rank or other, most likely a low one, was pinned to his lapel. The young man yawned lazily, obviously bored. He didn't even notice her when she stopped just a few feet away and cleared her throat, trying to work up the nerve to speak.

"Umm... Excuse me?" she asked quietly, suddenly feeling very timid. She'd always been rather shy, never very sure of herself even among friends, but now she felt even more awkward. It was as if she was simply out of practice dealing with people and had to struggle to remember how to act. Thirty years of being dead could do that to a person.

The man jumped, surprised, then quickly collected himself. "Uh... Ahem! Good afternoon, Ma'am. Can I help you?"

"I hope so. I... I'm looking for... an old friend of mine. I heard that he's been living here. I was wondering if you might know...?" she trailed off uncertainly, suddenly afraid to go through with it and ask the question that had raged in her mind since she first heard the rumor back in Kalm. Was he really living here? Could she actually find him again after so long? She could scarcely dare to believe he was still alive.

"I might," the young man answered, not appearing very interested. "Is he in the military? It's not that large yet, so we all pretty much know each other."

"Umm... " She paused, pondering the answer. No, she didn't think so… It wouldn't have been like him. "I... don't know for sure, but I doubt it."

"Okay," the man said, looking a little annoyed by now, as if he wanted her to go away and leave him to his daydreaming. She cringed, hating to be a bother and already feeling guilty for disturbing him. "What's his name? Maybe I've heard of him."

"…Vincent," she said after a pause, her voice trembling with emotion even as she spoke his name again after so long.

The soldier's brown eyes widened in surprise, and he made an obvious effort to stand up straighter. He suddenly looked a lot less bored and gave her his full attention. "Vincent? You mean Vincent Valentine?"

She nodded rapidly, blinking the tears from her eyes. "Y-yes. Does he... live here?" She tried not to become too hopeful in case the man was thinking of someone else, as improbable as that seemed with a name such as his.

"Yup! He's in charge of security, actually. Wow... I didn't think he _had_ any friends."

The woman bit back the tears that still threatened to fall, forcing herself to take a deep breath. She wondered what the young soldier meant by that, and why he looked so utterly stunned, but didn't waste time worrying about it. Vincent was _here_. She had found him! That was all that mattered, and she couldn't turn back now, no matter how nervous she was.

"Could you... tell me where he lives? I... I really need to see him."

The guard looked reluctant for a moment, then shrugged his broad shoulders. "I guess so. Not much for me to do here, and it's almost time for my lunch break anyway. It's been so quiet lately... Too quiet, Sephiroth says. Like something bad is going to happen any minute. But then, he _always_ thinks something bad is going to happen." The guard chuckled to himself, but the woman had heard nothing he said past Sephiroth's name.

"Sephiroth," she whispered, lifting a trembling hand to cover her mouth, fighting to control her emotions. "He... He lives here, too?" Could she really have found _both_ of them so easily? Why had it not occurred to her that they might still be together after they'd both been present in the cave?

The guard nodded, studying her quizzically, visibly baffled by her reaction. He could not possibly guess who Sephiroth was to her, after all, or how desperately she needed to see both he and Vincent.

"Yeah, why? Do you know him, too?" the man asked skeptically, as if he thought she might be an escaped mental patient. He wasn't all _that_ far off... She nodded mutely, not trusting herself to speak. The guard grunted with surprise, then turned toward the elevator's control panel. "Well, come on up. I'll show ya where Vincent lives, and he can direct you to Sephiroth's place from there if you want."

She nodded mutely, her throat tight with emotion, then stepped onto the lift after the guard as the door slid open. She could scarcely believe her luck. They were both there in Junon Harbor, and she was going to see them again that very day. If she didn't drop dead a second time from nerves beforehand, that was. She willed herself to stop trembling with only limited success.

She forced herself to take calming breaths as the lift rose, wringing her hands before her and not noticing the looks the guard was giving her out of the corner of his eye until he spoke again. "I take it you know them well?" he asked, now clearly curious about his visitor, looking her over more closely.

She jumped, then cursed herself mentally. "I... I know Vincent well. Or I did. Sephiroth, I... met only once. But he's very important to me."

"Okay…" the man said, giving her another strange look. She couldn't blame him, for as much sense as she was making. "Well, it's good that someone is coming to see Vincent, I guess. I don't think anyone's ever actually been inside his place."

The lift stopped and she stepped out after her escort, looking around the somewhat familiar gray hallways of the barracks. She turned to the guard with concern as they began to walk again, wondering how Vincent had been doing since she last saw him. Had he gotten over what happened by now? Could he really still be clinging to the past after so many years? While part of her hoped he had moved on and found happiness, a larger and more selfish part wished it was all as fresh in his mind and heart as it was in hers.

"Really? No one...?" she asked, filled with intense worry all over again. That did not sound look a good sign.

"Nope," the guard confirmed, shaking his head as they traveled along the narrow corridor. "Some say he lives in the basement of that old building with rats and vampire bats, and that he sleeps in a coffin... Then roams around at night, sometimes in the form of a demon."

She stared at him, taken aback. "You... you're kidding..." It sounded like a ridiculous child's tale to her, but after a moment she realized that he was completely serious and actually looked a bit frightened.

The young man simply shrugged in reply, his eyes wide. "I dunno, just what I heard. Like I said, no one has actually been inside his home. He _is_ pretty weird though... Umm, no offense." He at least had the good graces to blush.

She frowned, blinking the tears back from her green eyes once more. What had happened to him since they were last together? What did that evil bastard _do_ to him? She had known _something_ was done to alter him, and that he would most likely look and act a bit differently now. She'd noticed it when she'd seen him briefly over a year ago, but her memory was not entirely clear, and her ghost's mind had been focused on other things at the time. But this guard was talking as if he was a complete outcast, even a freak. The thought of him living his life that way broke her heart, especially since she knew that he had never had it easy, not even as a child.

_What happened to you because of me...? _

She pushed away the tortured thought, unable to think about it any further. She simply couldn't bear it... Coming so far to find him again after all the things she'd done was hard enough.

"Are you okay?" the guard asked, noting her pained expression.

She forced herself to stop biting her lip and nodded, her legs feeling very weak beneath her. "I'm fine," she nearly whispered. "Just... a little nervous."

"Ah. Guess he was a close friend of yours?"

She nodded and forced a shy smile. "Yeah..."

"Huh." Something in his voice led her to believe he simply couldn't picture it.

She followed the soldier through the rear exit of the barracks and out onto Main Street, the large road that ran through the base from one end to the other. It was lined with apartments for the higher ranking soldiers and families living on the base, along with many small shops, taverns, and businesses. This part of Junon Harbor, at least, was thriving. There were ships resting peacefully at the docks up ahead, from small passenger vessels to enormous battleships. Black flags featuring the same golden phoenix she'd noticed on her guide's uniform flew from the masts of many of the vessels.

"Vincent usually works evening shifts, so I guess he's probably at home now, maybe sleeping. He doesn't seem to be much of a day person," the guard was saying, coming to a stop outside a little cafe on one side of the street. He pointed to a tall, slender building up ahead at the very edge of town. "See that old building there?"

She nodded, her heart racing, her eyes scanning the place he indicated from behind her glasses.

"That's where he lives. On the lowest level, I think... I dunno, never been in there. And I'm not going in today, either! This is as far as I go." The man actually looked afraid, and she swallowed hard. She would _not_ be afraid of Vincent no matter how he'd changed. He had always been the sweetest, most gentle man she'd ever met.

"All right... Thank you," she said quietly. The guard nodded to her, then turned and hurried off, soon vanishing into the cafe for his afore-mentioned lunch break. Somehow, left standing there alone in the middle of the street, she felt even more nervous than before. She was almost there now. He was just ahead...

She forced herself to put one foot in front of the other, her heart pounding in her chest and her mind racing with memories of the past and fears for the future. What if he wasn't there? What if he didn't remember her? What if he _did_, and hated her? What if he just didn't care? So many questions occupied her thoughts as she drew closer, noting that the entire building was dark, and looked quite abandoned. Where all of the other structures were connected in long rows, the building before her stood alone. It appeared to have been long neglected, its dark bricks crumbling away in some places, several of the upper windows cracked or shattered. If she'd had to make a judgment, she would have assumed the place was abandoned and unsafe for habitation. But the guard had told her Vincent was living there, and she had no reason not to believe him. She took a deep breath, then forced herself to go on. She would not be a coward this time... This time, she would do what was right.

Soon, she stood on the crooked covered porch of the aging structure, the wooden beams groaning beneath her feet. She wondered if the building had been allowed to remain standing simply because no one had ever gotten around to knocking it down. She froze for a moment, images of Vincent flashing before her eyes. She could see him smiling at her, always a bit shyly, an expression he wore for she alone. She remembered the way he'd always looked at her, the love so obvious in his warm brown eyes that it was almost embarrassing. She didn't deserve such open, unconditional love... She could still see the hurt in his expression each time she left him to return to her husband, the pain in his eyes when she told him they couldn't run away together shortly before her death. It was the biggest mistake she'd ever made, and she hoped by some miracle there might still be time to try to fix it. She swallowed nervously, then lifted a shaking hand to open the wooden door.

She expected it to creak loudly, and it did not disappoint her. The sound echoed down the entrance hallway ahead of her, and she had to blink to adjust her eyes to the dimness that greeted her. The air was stale and dusty, and she fought the urge to sneeze or cough as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Apparently, her new body had allergies, too. Glancing back at the heavy door, she realized that her fate was sealed... She had to continue.

Looking around the vacant room, she spotted a stairway to her left. She slowly approached it, staring downward at the row of steps, thinking of how much closer each one would take her to Vincent. Carefully she began to descend, holding on to the warped railing and taking her time because of the poor lighting. It wouldn't do to fall down the stairs and break her neck after all of this. Soon, she reached the bottom and headed down another long, narrow hallway. It was nearly black by then, and she ran her hands along the cold stone walls as a guide.

She nearly walked into a door at the end of the corridor, but saw it just in time and stopped only inches away, her heart pounding so loudly that she swore it was echoing down the hallway behind her. She found herself frozen in position, her entire body trembling. This was it. Blinking, her eyes gradually adjusting to the poor lighting, she could see that there was a bronze plate nailed haphazardly to the door. It read "V. Valentine."

She lifted a hand to the wall to steady herself, afraid she might faint. He really _did_ live there... Somehow, it hadn't been real until she saw his name on the door. She now knew for certain that he did indeed reside in the room before her, only a few feet away. He was alive. Her search was over... If only she could find the courage to continue.

She stood there for a full five minutes, lightly tracing her fingers over the letters of his name and fighting to breathe against the tightness in her chest. She did her best to control the nervous shaking of her limbs, her stomach turning over on itself. Could she do it? Should she just leave him in peace and go on her way? Would she only hurt him again by throwing herself back into his life? And even if that were so... could she stay away?

The answer, she knew, was no. As soon as she'd woken up, she had thought of him. She'd needed to know where he was and if he was all right. She longed to find out if he still loved and missed her. Thoughts of Sephiroth soon followed, but somehow, she knew that he was safe, and that he wasn't alone any more. He had someone watching over him. She could sense it, and it warmed her heart and gave her some measure of peace and relief from her guilt. It was Vincent she felt such intense worry for... and she had known immediately that she had to break free and find him.

_Well, here I am..._ She almost laughed hysterically with nervousness, then slowly lowered her hand to the cold door knob and forced herself to turn it. Knocking felt wrong somehow, though she realized in the back of her mind that she was intruding without permission. This door opened silently, into an equally silent room. It was so quiet that she almost turned and fled, trying to convince herself that he wasn't at home, and that she really shouldn't be trespassing. Once she stepped inside, however, an invisible force seemed to urge her forward, forcing her to soundlessly close the door behind her and move ahead.

It was almost as dark as the hallway had been, with only a single small window at the very top of opposite wall, since the room was almost entirely below ground. The walls were formed from a cold gray stone, the floor nothing but bare concrete. There were several ragged throw rugs tossed overtop of it, but no real carpeting to soften the ground or create warmth. There was a well-worn couch against one wall, a lopsided coffee table placed in front of it. Aside from an end table and lamp, there was no other furniture. She began to wonder if the place was really lived in after all. It was so cold and dark... No one could possibly choose to stay there, could they?

The thought that Vincent was living in such dark, lonely conditions further tore at her heart, and she had to fight to keep from crying out in guilt and anguish. It was then that she noticed the tall gold boots placed neatly against one wall, not far from the doorway. Above it, a long red cape hung on a hook, trailing almost gracefully down the wall and resting on the very tops of the boots. Her heart began to pound even louder, her eyes widening as she stared at the items. They were his, she knew, even though he'd owned nothing like them in the past. He had been wearing them in the cave, she recalled a moment later, a hazy image flashing through her mind.

She next noticed a tall wooden bookcase tucked into a shadowy corner, warped with age and packed with many dusty volumes. Some, however, looked newer... And one was even lying on its side with a bookmark sticking out of the top. She walked over as quietly as she could, her footsteps soft even on the cement, and carefully picked it up. Its title was The Art of Criminal Investigation, and it was incredibly thick and heavy. Her hands began to shake as she held it against her chest. _He_ was reading it, the very book she now held... The guard had said he was the head of security, she recalled, and he must have been studying to do the best job he possibly could. Something, at least, had not changed. She replaced it almost reverently, as if afraid to disturb it further.

She noticed that there was another door at the opposite end of the room, and that it appeared to lead into a back room. It was not closed all the way, left cracked open several inches. She had to fight to continue to breathe as her chest tightened, her heart crying out with the knowledge that Vincent was just on the other side of that door. She wasn't sure how she knew with such certainty, but she didn't doubt the feeling for a second. It was far too intense, as if the bond between them remained so strong that she felt it in her soul.

With painful slowness, she began to cross the room, one careful, nervous step at a time, until she stood before the door. There she remained for several tense moments, before she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and gently pushed it open the rest of the way.

The room was just as dark as the larger one, and even more empty. In fact, there was nothing inside but an old chest of drawers and a night table. She almost turned and left when she spotted the mattress on the floor, pushed carelessly up against the far wall and almost lost in the darkness. There was a lump on top of it, covered by a dark blanket that lay spread across it. And the lump had long, jet black hair.

She gasped aloud, instantly lifting one hand to cover her mouth. She dared to creep a bit closer, realizing that someone was asleep on their side, facing away toward the wall. It was Vincent, of that she had no doubt. When she listened closely, she could hear the deep, even sound of his breathing over the rapid pounding of her heart. There he was, only a few feet away, sleeping peacefully. The sight brought tears to her eyes, and she hastily lifted her hand to brush them away. She bit her lip, staring at him in awe. Finding him laying there was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

Now that she was there, and so close to him, she was at a loss as to what she ought to do next. Should she wake him? Part of her wanted to simply crawl onto the mattress and curl up at his side. She quickly reminded herself that it had been over thirty years. She couldn't just walk back into his life and do that, could she? No, no matter how badly she wanted to be close to him, it wouldn't be right. They needed to talk... Which meant she had to wake him somehow.

She almost laughed out loud at her predicament. After all she had gone through to return to life, free herself, and locate him, she was hung up on how to awaken him! _"Hi, Vincent... Look, I'm not dead any more!" "Hello, my love... Wow, it's been a while!" "Honey, I'm home!"_ She shook her head with annoyance at herself._ Just _say_ something! __Just-_

She had no more time to decide as Vincent suddenly bolted up in bed, a gun instantly in his right hand and pointed directly at her head. He still slept with his gun... At one time in their lives, that had really bothered her, but it was a work habit he could never seem to break.

"What are you- ..." He interrupted himself the second he caught sight of the intruder, a slender woman with long brown hair, emerald green eyes, and wire-framed glasses. "Lucrecia..." He sighed, a heavy, sad sound, shaking his head and closing his eyes. She noticed they were now blood red instead of the soft brown she remembered. "I am dreaming again..." With that, he laid back down and rolled over, pulling a pillow over his head after replacing the gun between the mattress and the wall.

"Vincent!" she couldn't help but cry out, stunned from her shock by the sight of his face and the sound of his voice. It was so familiar, yet so strange and different… It was still unusually deep, yet so quiet with a slight Wutaiian accent she'd always found so endearing. Now there was an odd ghostly quality to his words, and his affect was completely flat. But all Lucrecia saw and heard was the man she had known and loved so many years before.

For a moment, she thought he was going to ignore her and go back to sleep. But then, after laying still for a moment longer, he suddenly rolled over and sat up again. He blinked sleepily before turning to stare at her through the long strands of hair that fell across his face, so intensely that she shivered and took a step backwards. His red eyes were a bit unnerving, and she felt as if they were burning a hole through her. The gun was in his hand again, but he was cradling it in his lap for the moment.

"Vincent?" she whispered, a single tear falling from her eye and trailing down her cheek. Did he remember everything they'd been to each other, or was he so changed that she was nothing but a ghost from a past he'd rather forget? She wanted to go to him, touch him, hold him… but she was unsure of what he might do and unable to read his expression.

He tilted his head a bit, staring at her even harder. He studied her from head to foot, his expression one of confusion and suspicion. "No... You are dead. This is only a dream. Go away and let me sleep." He shook the hair from his face and sighed quietly, then pulled back the blankets and seemed about to do just that.

Lucrecia was not about to leave without trying everything she could to reach him. She had come too far, and she was desperate to make everything right. She could see the gears turning in his mind as he paused and glanced up at her again, and decided to give him something to think about before he wrote her off as a mere dream. She swallowed nervously and stepped forward, taking a hold of his upper arm. He froze, and she held onto him as she met his eyes.

"Do dreams do _this?_" she asked him softly, feeling his muscles tense beneath her hand. She was instantly filled with guilt and more than a bit worried about his reaction. Vincent pulled away instinctively, his red eyes widening as he shifted back across the mattress. He was on his feet almost too fast for her to see the movement.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked coldly, aiming his gun at her once more. His finger was already positioned over the trigger, his expression cool and focused, his eyes locked upon her. His weapon was different than the pistol he'd owned while with the Turks, much larger and possessing three separate barrels. It definitely looked lethal, and she knew he was a very good shot. Oh, gods, he wasn't going to shoot her after all of this, was he? What a cruel irony _that_ would be...

"Vincent, it's me!" Lucrecia exclaimed, tears flowing down her cheeks. "You haven't forgotten... have you?"

He remained rigid and tense, his gun still trained on her as his left hand hung limply at his side, as if it were injured and useless. Her eyes were drawn to it for a moment, her heart racing when she saw the golden metal claw that had replaced his hand and arm to his elbow. His eye color, the claw... but aside from that, and his hair being much longer, he looked so much like he had back then that it both broke and melted her heart at once. It seemed he hadn't aged a day, though the pain in his eyes and the tension in his expression made him seem much older and wiser somehow.

"This is a trick," he said, so quietly that she almost didn't hear him. "Go now, and tell whoever sent you that it will not work. I will not be fooled..."

"Vincent, please," Lucrecia said, choking off a sob as she held out a hand toward him. "It's me... This isn't a trick."

Vincent moved farther away from her until his back was almost against the wall, eyeing her suspiciously through the wild black hair that had fallen across his pale face. His gun hand wavered a bit when he met her eyes, and neither could look away for long moments. Lucrecia felt as if time had stopped as the familiar bond seemed to flare to life between them, drawing them together despite how long it had been.

Vincent turned away first, and when he dared to look back at her again he no longer seemed quite so certain about his position. His eyes darted about and a muscle twitched in his jaw. She could nearly see his mind struggling to process what he was experiencing.

"Lucrecia?" he asked hesitantly, lowering his gun a bit more. "Is that...? But how...?"

A smile of relief crossed her face as the tears continued to fall, and she rapidly nodded her head in the affirmative. "Yes! It's me! Oh, Vincent, I really found you. It's been so long..."

Vincent seemed to struggle with himself and his emotions as he stared at her, his face expressionless even as a battle raged on behind his eyes.

"I... I know what you must be thinking... and I understand!" she said desperately, wanting to get through to him before he changed his mind and either shot her or threw her out of his home. "I can explain everything. I... I just need you to trust me and give me a chance..."

She lowered her head to stare at the floor, the tears dripping from her chin and onto the cold cement. She suddenly felt so vulnerable, so ashamed, that she couldn't look at him any longer. How could she ever expect him to accept her, to forgive her, after all she had done?

Silence hung in the dark room for over a minute, Lucrecia staring at her feet and feeling completely helpless and uncertain. She heard a deep sigh, and the sound of soft, hesitant footsteps approaching her a moment later. Vincent's thin but strong arms found their way around her, pulling her close and holding her so tightly against his chest that she had to struggle a bit to breathe. The embrace took her completely off guard and she felt herself tense involuntarily at the contact. She quickly relaxed, lifting her arms to wrap around his neck. She felt pathetically needy and nearly overwhelmed by the desire just to be held. She could feel the cold, sharp metal claw that had taken the place of his left hand against her back, but somehow it didn't matter. She choked back a sob of pure joy and relief, laying her head against him as they clung to each other in a desperate embrace that was hauntingly familiar, yet oddly distant and surreal.

"I don't care why you are here right now, or who might have sent you," Vincent said quietly, sounding choked with all the emotions he was fighting very hard to contain. "Somehow... you are Lucrecia. I could see it in your eyes..."

"I wouldn't lie to you," she mumbled against him, lifting her face to look at him. He looked _terrible_, she realized, now that she could see him up close. His complexion was extremely pale, and there were dark circles beneath his eyes. His body felt so thin, nearly frail, though she still fit perfectly against his tall form when he held her close. His long hair was wild and untamed, and his eyes were tired and filled with an intense pain that made her wince. _She _had caused him to feel that way... She had caused all of the pain she saw on his face. The guilt washed over her like a wave, and she fought desperately to keep her head above the swells. When he lowered his eyes to meet hers, she again felt the strong jolt of feeling course through her body, the reawakening of a bond they had once shared... and perhaps still did, she thought with wonder, even after death and so much pain.

Lucrecia lifted a shaking hand to tenderly stroke his cheek, watching as he heaved a contented sigh and closed his eyes, having gone from holding her at gunpoint to letting her hold him simply by looking in her eyes. With her other arm still around his neck, she gently eased him down and touched her lips to his, nearly overflowing with relief. It felt as if a hole had opened up and swallowed the rest of the universe in that moment, leaving just the two of them, together again. It felt so right, as if nothing had changed. She was thrilled when he began to softly kiss her back, still holding her against his body as if he never wanted to let go.

Vincent looked dazed for a moment when the kiss ended, as if he didn't know what to think or feel. He probably didn't, she realized. She'd had time since waking up to think about all that had happened, and the possibilities for she and those she cared for now that she had returned to the Planet. Vincent had been taken utterly by surprise, a man who'd apparently been living in isolation suddenly faced with the woman he once loved returned from the dead. She knew that in his place, she would not have been able to handle it as well, but as always, Vincent seemed able to carry the burden.

He blinked rapidly as if trying to clear his thoughts, then carefully released her from his grip and stepped back, turning to face the wall with his arms folded over his chest as though pulling away from her so abruptly physically pained him. Lucrecia watched him intently, wondering what he was thinking and what he would do next. He sighed after a moment, then turned to face her again, looking torn between running back into her arms and fleeing into solitude. His posture was again defensive, as if he was trying desperately to control his emotions and losing.

"I... I do not know what to think," he admitted, his deep, quiet voice wavering ever so slightly. No one else would have noticed but her. "It has been over thirty years. I have been changed... You were _dead_. I saw your ghost not even a year ago. Now you are here... I believe you when you say you are Lucrecia. But how...?"

He was so confused and torn between wanting to believe that she was back and needing to follow his logic that she wanted to go to him and take him in her arms again, but she stopped herself, suddenly feeling shy and uneasy. She hadn't expected him to simply accept that she'd returned from the dead without explanation, after all. She would have been suspicious, too, and afraid of being hurt again.

"We need to talk," she managed to say, wiping away a few more tears. "I'll explain everything to you, Vincent, I promise. I... I love you..."

He inhaled sharply at those words, turning back to face her, his eyes bright with tears though his expression remained guarded. "I have always loved you, Lucrecia," he whispered. "I never stopped... I never will. But this is... it is too good to be true..." She saw him absently pinch his normal arm with his clawed hand and had to fight a smile. He _still_ thought he was dreaming. He sighed heavily, then gestured toward the main room of his home.

"You are right... We need to talk."


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

Vincent's head was spinning as he sat stiffly at one end of the tattered old couch, watching the woman who looked, sounded, and acted exactly like Lucrecia sitting at the other end, still wiping tears from her cheeks. This couldn't be happening, she couldn't really be alive... This was either a trick of some kind, sent by Hojo to fool him, or he was still asleep, having yet another dream of his lost love. He had never had a dream like this before, though... She seemed so real. _Felt _so real. He could still feel the warmth of her body as they embraced, the touch of her lips against his.

All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her for the rest of his life. Even after so many years, after having turned off his feelings for others for so long, all she had to do was appear before him and the walls crumbled. He felt weak and pathetic, cursing the way his insides were tying themselves in knots. It had always been that way where she was concerned... At first, he'd hated the way she could see through the barriers he'd built around himself all his life, but in time he had grown to love that ability, along with everything else about her. Everything but the fact that she was married to another man.

Vincent frowned, squeezing his eyes closed and trying to clear his mind. He could not let his feelings cloud this... Too much was at stake if it really was a trick. And even if it wasn't, he felt uncomfortably vulnerable, as if he might still lose something in the process.

"Well," the woman who claimed to be Lucrecia began, nervously pushing her glasses up on her nose the way she always did when she had to talk about something that bothered her. "I guess you want to know how I got here," she said quietly, looking so shy and frightened that he nearly reached out to hold her again, but he forced himself to stop at the last moment. For all he knew, she would not even want him to touch her... It had been so long, and he was so different now he was virtually a stranger to her at best, a frightening monster at worst.

Vincent pushed those thoughts aside and nodded to her stiffly, remaining expressionless only through supreme effort. To sit there, with only those few feet between them, and not allow himself to give into his heart and fall into her arms was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do.

"I'm... I _am_ Lucrecia, as I told you, but... my body is a clone of my original one," she began, her voice so quiet and nervous that only his superior hearing allowed him to pick up all of her words. "Hojo wanted to... create another Sephiroth. He had kept a sample of my DNA on file for just such an occasion, in case I died the first time around. He expected I would all along, I found out, but never told me. He finally used that sample to clone me several months ago..."

Vincent watched her closely, noting the real pain in her eyes when she spoke of Hojo and what he had done to she and Sephiroth. No one could have faked that kind of emotion, could they? But if he could pretend _not_ to feel so well in front of everyone else...

"I... I was dead for over thirty years, as you know," she went on, staring down at her hands as she began wringing them in her lap, another familiar nervous habit he had noticed that her son shared. "But my energy... couldn't pass over and join the Lifestream, because of the high levels of Jenova cells that had been in my body when I died. I was stuck in... in limbo, I guess you could call it... between life and death... without a body but unable to rest. That's why I was able to appear to you and Sephiroth in the cave."

Vincent nodded wordlessly, trying to picture the scenario. The very thought of her death chilled him to the bone all over again even as she sat in his apartment, very much alive.

"When Hojo cloned my body... my soul, if you want to call it that, was drawn back somehow. My consciousness ended up being pulled into this new body, as if it had been waiting and somehow _knew_ that I belonged there... All my memories, my personality, my feelings, found there way back to life, as if I'd never really died at all. Hojo expected to make a clone with my exact genetic make up, but no memories… A blank slate, someone he could twist to follow his wishes. But when he brought me out of stasis, it was only like I had been asleep for along time. I suddenly just 'woke up,' with bits and pieces of memories from my time in limbo, like a long series of partially remembered dreams. I was confused, I didn't know where I was, or _when_ it was..."

"I... know how that feels," Vincent said, thinking of the thirty years he spent in virtual hibernation within the coffin in the Shin-ra Mansion's basement. Lucrecia obviously didn't know to what he was referring, but nodded before continuing her story. It was rather obvious that something had been done to him, after all. She just seemed relieved that he was listening and giving her a chance to explain, her voice growing more confident as she continued.

"Hojo... figured out what had happened pretty quickly," Lucrecia went on, still staring down at her hands. "He didn't intend to change his plans, though... He told me we were going to have another son, and that he'd be even stronger than Sephiroth. He said he'd make sure I survived this time. When I asked about Sephiroth, he would just mutter something about him being a traitor, but wouldn't tell me anything else..."

Vincent nearly had to bite his tongue as she spoke of Sephiroth being she and Hojo's son. He held back the revelation, however, realizing that she did not seem to be aware of who her son's true father was. If she had known, surely she would have said something. It made sense, he realized, trying to piece things together in his mind. The last time she had seen he and Sephiroth,_ they_ still had not known. Gods, how was he going to tell her _that? _He almost lifted his good hand to smack himself in the head for worrying about such a thing. At the moment, that was the least of his concerns. He was still unconvinced that this was really happening.

"There was a young woman working under Hojo in the lab when I was brought back," Lucrecia continued uncertainly, oblivious to Vincent's worries. "She was fascinated by me, how my body had been cloned from DNA and advanced in age, and how my mind and soul had somehow found their way back to it so long after death. I have to admit, I'm fascinated myself." She paused and smiled faintly for a moment, the scientist in her briefly taking over. "She and I would talk when Hojo wasn't around... and eventually, I told her my story. All of it, from when I met and married Hojo, to when I met you, to when Sephiroth was born. I told her how terrified I was, and how I couldn't bear to bring another innocent child into the world for him to torture and destroy."

Lucrecia paused, holding back a sob, and Vincent had to grind his teeth to keep from reaching out to her. Instead, he concentrated on pressing his back rigidly against the couch, staring at a point over her head as he listened to her story.

"The night before Hojo planned to... start the experiment... she snuck into the lab. It was her day off and after hours, and I couldn't figure out why she was there. But she came right to my cell and unlocked it. I just stared in shock... She said she couldn't stand to let me go through this any more, and told me to go before he could hurt me any more. She gave me her keycard and some gil, and helped me sneak out of Headquarters. She managed to rent a chocobo for me, and I rode it directly to Kalm. I stayed there for a few days, trying to figure out what to do... And I just knew I had to find you. I knew you were still out there somewhere, and I heard some rumors that I might find you here in Junon Harbor. Gods, I missed you..."

When she looked up at him with the tears in her eyes, Vincent had to turn his head, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest almost as if he was a normal man. She was telling the truth... Nothing she'd said was impossible given Hojo's insane genius, and no one could have faked the feelings he saw written across her face. Which meant that she was _real. _She was Lucrecia. _His_ Lucrecia. She had actually returned from the dead and come to find him. Inadvertently, the man who had killed her had given her a second chance at life... Given_ them_ a second chance?

No... He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve_ her_. If he had been able to protect her back then, she would never have died in the first place. All of it was his fault... Every second she had spent in limbo, every ounce of pain she had ever felt... Vincent knew he was to blame. What he had allowed to be done to she and their son had been his greatest sin, one for which he could never be forgiven, despite how many chances fate saw fit to throw in his face. He was damned to hell and endless loneliness for his failure, and nothing could change that. Filled with self loathing and guilt, he found he couldn't even look at her. It simply hurt too much...

"Vincent?" she asked a moment later, studying him with concern. "Are you okay?"

He couldn't find his voice for nearly a minute, closing his eyes and losing himself in the memories and the guilt. A great shame washed over him, and he didn't even feel worthy to sit there with her. He abruptly stood, walking over to the bookshelf and absently picking up the thick book he was reading. He turned it over between his claw and hand, staring at it without really seeing any of the words.

"I do not know," he finally admitted, hating how weak and uncertain he sounded.

"Do... do you believe me?" she asked, and he could feel her eyes on his back.

He nodded without hesitation, and he heard her choke off a sob behind him. How it made him want to cry, too. But he had pushed away all of those feelings and desires so long ago... He didn't know if they were there any more. He didn't even know if he was still human. He could feel the odd presence of Chaos somewhere deep inside his mind, the strange desires and thoughts it brought him mostly buried for the time being. But they could rise up again at any time, and sometimes they grew so strong that his body would transform without his consent. He wondered what she would think of him then... Would she avoid him like nearly everyone else in town? Would she run back to Hojo?

He could feel her watching him as he stood thinking, finally returning the book to the shelf with a weary sigh. All he had wanted for the last thirty years was to have Lucrecia back, to keep her safe... and now that she was there, he didn't know how to react. What did one do when their deepest dream became reality?

"So... this is where you've been living?" Lucrecia asked quietly, as if unable to take the awkward silence any longer. Vincent turned a bit, though he still didn't look at her, his hair falling across his face. He hadn't had a chance to put on his bandana, and it was more unruly than usual from sleep. How he must look to her…

"Yes... Avalanche won control of this base in a battle six months ago."

"That's what I heard back in Kalm. But I meant... Why did you pick _this_ building? It just seems so isolated and run down..." He could hear the concern in her voice, and still could not bring himself to look at her.

"That is why I chose it," he said, not seeing the point in hiding the truth. He had never been able to lie to her... "I wanted to be left alone."

He heard her shift her weight on the couch, clearing her throat nervously at his emotionless statement. He remained painfully still, staring rigidly at the wall over her head, his expression carefully guarded.

"Why?" she asked a moment later, her voice nearly a whisper. "I heard that you're in charge of security... That's an important job."

Vincent snorted bitterly. "It does not make what I am any different... But it takes up most of my time, and allows me to do some good for the town, at least."

There was a long silence before Lucrecia found the nerve to speak again. "What do you mean, what you are...? Vincent, I've always known you to be the most honorable man I ever met."

He almost laughed out loud at the irony of her quiet statement, but he had long ago lost the ability to do so, even at himself. There she was, the woman he had not been able to protect from harm, claiming that he was honorable! He shook his head in disbelief, finally meeting her eyes again.

"You do not know what you say... I failed you, and I can never be forgiven for that."

He watched as Lucrecia's eyes widened, her mouth dropping open in surprise. Tears began to trail down her cheeks again, and he could hardly bear to watch. There was nothing he had hated more than to see her cry...

"Vincent, no... You don't really believe that, do you?" she asked in disbelief, raising one hand to cover her mouth.

"Of course I do... It is the truth, and my greatest sin. I can never atone for that." He hung his head in shame, feeling lower than the most vile of criminals. "And now, I am a monster..."

He absently lifted his clawed hand and stared down at it, flexing the metallic fingers as if still trying to believe they were attached to his body. He allowed his hair to hang down in front of his eyes and hide his face from view, not wanting her to see the pain that had managed to slip into his expression.

"Nothing that happened was your fault, Vincent," she said quietly, sniffling as she spoke. She removed her glasses to rub at her eyes, now red from crying. "Everything happened as a result of the bad choices I made. You have nothing to feel guilty about. All you ever did was care about me... but I was too weak and too afraid to do the right thing."

Vincent stubbornly shook his head, unable to believe her. It was impossible... There was no way that what happened could have been her fault. She was the innocent victim of a mad man, and he had not been strong enough to save her. She'd trusted him, confided her deepest hopes and fears in him, and he had failed her. It was his fault she had suffered, his fault she had died, his fault their son had lived a life of torment and pain... Why could she not see that?

He wanted her to scream at him, hit him... do _something_ to repay him for all the harm he had caused her. He wanted her to treat him like the monster he was, not like a human being she still had feelings for, or who might be able to return them. But instead, she continued to sit on his couch and look at him with tears in her eyes, her expression one of sympathy and concern. Vincent wasn't sure she'd ever lost her temper in her life, having always been a pacifist, desperate to please those around her and keep the peace. She'd never been able to see the bad in anyone or act in a way she thought would upset them. How he wanted to shake her until she realized how evil he was and left him again, even as he longed to feel the warmth of her embrace cutting through the cold of his solitary existence.

"Vincent, please... You can't possibly put the blame for this on yourself," she said, her tone nearly begging him to listen as he fought with all his might to tune her out. "You've been carrying this around for thirty years?" Her voice cracked as she asked the question, and he heard her stand and take a timid step toward him. He stubbornly turned his back on her, folding his arms over his chest and nodding once.

"It is my sin," he repeated, staring down at his feet, wishing he was wearing his boots. It made him feel even more vulnerable somehow, standing there in just a thin black shirt, a pair of loose-fitting dark pants, and socks instead of his usual attire. But the thought of running into his room to change at such a time was even more absurd. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen him in further states of undress, after all... He frowned and pushed away the intrusive thought, not wanting his memory to take him back to that time, the period of his life that had been the happiest and the most painful all at once.

"No, Vincent, it isn't!" she practically shouted at his back, raising her voice in a rare display of frustration, most of it directed at herself. "I'm responsible for all of it... _I'm _the one who failed _you_, and my own son! How can you blame yourself? It was all my fault!" She covered her face with both hands, her shoulders shaking as she began to cry harder. "Look what happened to you because of me... And you're still trying to take responsibility for it! You've _always_ done that, taking all the blame and carrying everyone else's burden... and I want you to stop! Can't you see how it's killing you?"

She lowered her hands after hastily wiping at her eyes, slowly becoming angry at the way he was throwing all the guilt and responsibility for the past onto himself. She was even more angry with herself, however, realizing that it was she who had caused him to feel that way. New tears instantly fell to replace the old ones, even as she came up behind him and placed a gentle hand on his arm. Vincent cringed at her touch, telling himself that he didn't deserve any kind of affection, especially not from her. It was almost refreshing to him to hear her grow angry, because that was what he deserved. He did his best to ignore the feelings her warm hand stirred within him, telling himself that he would never deserve to feel that way again.

When he remained tense, his back turned to her, she stepped around in front of him, her back nearly pressed against the bookcase as she looked up into his face. He squirmed and tried to get away, but she reached out and grabbed his other arm, holding him in place.

"Vincent, look at me... You have to listen!" she said tearfully, and he could feel her hands on his arms shaking as she tried to be strong, to be brave, to express herself without fear. He swallowed hard, calling on all of his self control to bite back any display of emotion, and hesitantly lifted his chin to meet her eyes. "Please..." she begged him, lifting a hand to gently stroke his cheek. He inhaled sharply, unused to being touched after so long. "None of this was your fault. _I _married Hojo, _I_ stayed with him even when things were bad,_ I _wouldn't make the decision to end it and leave with you, _I _wanted to have a child with him,_ I _agreed to the experiments! You tried to talk me out of it, but I wouldn't listen! My whole life, I've been nothing but a spineless coward... and all caring about me got you was hurt!"

Before he could react, she had stepped forward and thrown her arms around him, hiding her face against his chest as she began to sob harder than before. He stood there stiffly, unsure of how to react, looking down at her as his mind and body did battle with his bleeding heart. The sight of her tears had been hard enough to bear from a distance... And now, to feel her crying against his chest with her arms around him, as she had on many occasions in the past when Hojo had hurt her... Vincent shuddered, feeling as if the walls he had built to protect himself from further emotional pain were crumbling under her desperate embrace. To hear her speak of herself in such a way was like a another shot through the heart, and he would have given anything to take away her pain. But he didn't remember how.

"Lucrecia..." he protested, wanting her to remove herself almost as badly as he wished to wrap his arms around her and never let go. "You must leave me before I hurt you again. I am not the man you once knew..."

"You've _never_ hurt me," she said, her voice muffled as she continued to lean against him and embrace him as she cried. "You were always the bright spot in my life, the one I could go to when I needed to feel loved and needed. It was me who hurt _you_, Vincent. I took more from you than I ever gave. You've never done anything but love me unconditionally, and I thanked you by bringing you to this..."

She slowly stepped away from him, sniffling and looking back up into his face. "You look terrible, Vincent," she said quietly, and he somehow knew somehow that she wasn't referring to the alterations Hojo had done to him. "You look exhausted, pale, so thin... You haven't been taking care of yourself. _Wh_y would you put yourself through such torture over me? I'm not worth it, Vincent."

"Do not speak that way about yourself," he said, his anger at hearing her speak that way coming through even though his deep voice remained quiet. "You are more than worth it. What I have done deserves far more of a punishment than this..."

"Will you stop that?!" she nearly shouted, grabbing him by both arms again and taking him by surprise. "_It wasn't your fault!_ I chose my path, and wouldn't listen to you when you knew it was wrong from the start. You were the man I belonged with all along, but I was too stupid to see it..."

"I do not understand how you can say that," he protested, shaking his head in disbelief. When she'd chosen to remain with Hojo over leaving with him in the past, he had quietly accepted it and bit down on his hurt, convinced that he was simply not good enough for her, or for anyone. But he had never been able to sever the tie, and neither had she. "After what I allowed to happen to you and our son..." he said quietly, wracked with guilt.

The moment the words were out of his mouth, Vincent realized his slip and winced. "Damn," he muttered to himself, even as he watched Lucrecia blink in confusion, her green eyes widening as she gaped at him.

"Our...?" she asked quietly, crushing his hope that she hadn't noticed.

Vincent was still for a moment, then sighed heavily and nodded his head. There was no sense in trying to hide it any longer. The secret was out... She would have to know eventually.

"Yes..."

"You mean...?" she asked, looking stunned. "Sephiroth is...?"

Vincent nodded again, looking quite uncomfortable. "I am his father, Lucrecia..."

Lucrecia lifted a shaking hand to cover her mouth, still staring at Vincent as if trying to picture he and Sephiroth together in her mind. "But how...? That's... that's impossible..." she stammered, her face drained of its color.

"I would have thought so, too," Vincent said flatly, turning and crossing the room, as if he needed to put the distance between them as they discussed the delicate subject. "But shortly before we took over Junon Harbor, Sephiroth was involved in an... accident... and required blood. The doctor tested all of Avalanche to see if anyone matched his type, and once he had tested mine, he approached me rather angrily, demanding to know why I had wasted so much valuable time and not simply told them that I was his father. I was understandably shocked, and made him perform the test again once Sephiroth was recovering. But the results were the same, and undeniable. I am Sephiroth's father... I still have the papers if you wish to see them."

"Vincent, no. I believe you... I just... I can't believe..." she whispered, returning to sit on the couch with a dazed expression on her face, sending a cloud of dust up into the air. "We were always careful... and when I was trying to get pregnant, I was only with Hojo. He was suddenly home every night, so we didn't even have time to see each other, and it seemed like maybe... maybe, we would work things out..."

Vincent nodded, his back to her again, now staring at a thin crack in the wall. He didn't want to think about that time in their lives, when he had felt as if she'd rejected him for good, like everyone else in his life had... even his own mother. How silly it was that it still hurt him so badly, when he'd been born over fifty seven years ago. She was probably long dead...

"I... I never doubted that Hojo was Sephiroth's father," Lucrecia whispered, still shaking her head in shock, turning very red with embarrassment. "I can't think of how..." She stopped suddenly, again lifting her hand to cover her mouth as a memory came flooding back to the forefront of her mind. "Oh, no..." she trailed off, her eyes widening as she recalled a distant event as if it was only yesterday. "Remember that night I came to see you, because Hojo had run out on me when we were already laying in bed together just because one of his lab technicians called him with a question about a project? He said it just couldn't wait, and dashed out like it didn't mean anything to just leave me like that. We had a huge fight…"

Vincent thought for a moment, the memory of that night instantly falling into place in his mind. He nodded once, still running his eyes over the crack in the wall as if it were fascinating.

"I was so hurt... I thought he was changing, and then he did that to me, leaving me there like my feelings didn't matter, just like he always had. I always ran to you when he hurt me, because I knew you would understand and make me feel better. We hadn't spent time together in weeks, and I missed you so much… I knew you would listen and not judge me, even though I'd been neglecting you. Gods, I was so unfair to you, Vincent. But you listened when I cried to you about what happened, and agreed to let me spend the night..."

"And you did..." Vincent trailed off, recognizing what happened next.

"And a few weeks later I found out I was pregnant... Hojo and I had been trying for a while, so I assumed he was the father without question. Gods, I was so stupid! I never thought..."

"Do not worry, neither did I..." Vincent told her honestly. "I never thought I would have a family, so it did not even cross my mind. If I had known..." He sighed heavily over yet another burden he carried with him each day, especially when he looked into the cool, untrusting eyes of his grown son.

"Gods, that makes what I did even worse," Lucrecia whispered, still digesting what she'd just learned. After over thirty years, she had found out that the man she'd truly loved but cast aside for her husband and unborn child had actually been Sephiroth's father all along. "I was carrying your baby, and I let him…! I wouldn't leave with you," she said, her voice breaking, "because I wanted my son to grow up with his father, something I never had... And instead I kept him from you and let another man experiment on him!" She broke down and began to sob, laying her head on the arm of the couch and shaking as she cried.

Vincent slowly turned to face her, watching her with an intense frown as he fought to keep his carefully constructed emotional barriers in place. He should have been more careful and not told her, at least not so soon... The longer he was around her, the closer the walls around his heart came to crumbling, and he wasn't sure if he could let go of them after so long. Could he really open up and tell her exactly how he felt now that she'd come back to him? How he had been feeling for the last thirty years? Was it safe to let his feelings show, or would he only hurt her again and end up hurting himself as well? Did he even have the _right _to such emotions after all he'd done and what he'd become as a result? Vincent shook his head, unsure of the answers. But what he did know was that he could not stand by and watch her cry any longer.

With painful slowness, he crossed the room until he stood over her, staring down at the top of her head. He felt as if a knife was being thrust into his heart, and his eyes began to burn despite the fierce battle he was waging for self control. Cursing himself for his indecision and fears, he awkwardly reached out with his normal hand and placed it on her shoulder, then softly sat down next to her without a sound.

"Please do not cry," he said quietly, gently running his hand over her trembling shoulder and trying to remember how to comfort her after so long. At one time, despite his usual cold and awkward manner with most people, he had been good at it. He'd been able to reach through her shyness and find something inside her beneath all of her self doubts and insecurities, a strength and beauty no one else had been able to find inside the woman who still saw herself as the class nerd all the other kids teased, the desperately poor girl no one ever wanted to play with, the young woman who always sat alone, feeling plain and inferior. When she was with him, she'd often seemed like a different person, suddenly more sure of herself, more relaxed, able to laugh and joke around as if all was right in the world. She'd been able to speak her mind without fear of repercussions, knowing that he would always accept her and never become angry or violent, as had all the other men throughout her entire life. And as he brought out her true self from the place where she had carefully tucked it away, she'd been able to do the same for him, drawing out the sensitive, gentle man he had long ago buried beneath a world of hurt and rejection.

At that moment, watching her cry, what Vincent wanted most in the world was to see her soft smile, to watch the joy return to her eyes... to find the woman he'd stayed up with through countless nights, whispering and laughing like two kids at a slumber party, as if they hadn't a care in the world. Could it ever be that way again? Could either of them ever feel the same?

When she lifted her head and looked at him with tear-filled eyes, Vincent couldn't help but lift his arm and wrap it around her, pulling her into his embrace with a fierceness he hadn't intended. She heaved a sigh of relief and instantly leaned against him, clinging to him as if her life depended on it. Vincent closed his eyes for a moment, shuddered with one last effort to reign in his emotions, then found that he simply no longer had the will to fight when given the chance to hold her in his arms again.

He was quiet as she laid her head on his chest, his arms around her and holding her close as he leaned back into the cushions of the couch. A warmth he had not felt since before her death washed over his body, and he felt nearly dizzy with it. Part of him still didn't believe that this was really happening, but slowly, he began to accept that as unlikely and miraculous as it was, Lucrecia was really alive, and he actually really holding her in his arms. She looked no different from the last time he had seen her, other than the fact that she was no longer pregnant. He could only imagine what he must look like to her... He'd been so convinced that he deserved the changes to his body that he had never really been self conscious about his appearance, but in front of her it suddenly mattered very much.

Eventually, Lucrecia stopped crying, occasionally sniffling against him until she was silent, her entire body relaxing in his embrace. For a moment, he thought she had fallen asleep, but then she lifted her chin to look up at him, a faint smile crossing her lips… the smile of an angel.

"Thanks, Vincent," she said, brushing back a few strands of his wild hair with her hand. Her gentle touch made him shiver, and he quickly averted his eyes. It all felt so familiar, so right... but yet so distant and oddly wrong...

"For what?" he asked, trying to sound as if it didn't matter. "You would not be upset if not for me..."

"That isn't true... If I had been strong enough to do the right thing, you and I would have been together all this time, raising Sephiroth... our son... together. That's how it should have been, but I didn't give us the chance. I was such a fool, but I can see that now... and all I want is to be with you for the rest of my life, Vincent... I love you."

She looked up at him hopefully, her expression nearly pleading, yet painfully unsure of what his reaction would be. Her eyes locked with Vincent's unnatural red ones, and he felt as if he was being drawn into her soul, losing himself and all of his barriers to the promise of love in her eyes. He was shocked to silence, unable to believe she had just spoken those words. He wanted so badly to tell her that he desired the same, that she could stay with him forever and he would protect her this time... that it wasn't too late. But another part of him knew that it was, and nothing he could do now would ever be able to change a thing.

"I..." he started, unsure of what he was even going to say. He couldn't allow her to place herself in the danger being with him would cause her, but neither could he bear to turn her away. What in the name of the gods was he going to _do, _he wondered, staring down helplessly at his clawed limb. What _could_ he do to make things right? Nothing could ever make up for his sins... Would he only further them if she was allowed back into his lonely life? Would she even _want_ to stay once she realized how much he had changed? She deserved so much better... Turning her away might be the best thing he could do for her. But his own selfish need to be with her rose up and wouldn't allow him to do it. After so much time spent alone, so many years mourning and longing for her, he could not simply turn her away now that she'd returned. "I don't know… what… I…"

"Shhh," she said, smoothing his hair back with one hand and noting the torn, pained expression on his face. "I know this is hard... You don't have to decide anything right now. I... just needed to see you again, to see that you were okay. I want to make things right, take care of you. And see Sephiroth again..."

Vincent could scarcely concentrate on her words as she touched him with increasing confidence, running one hand through his hair and then gently over his face, tracing the line of his jaw as if trying to commit it to memory. At her touch, the man who had remained so isolated and nearly dead since losing her felt his heart begin to race. His head swam with emotions and desires, so intensely that it took all of his will power not to give in. He wasn't sure he even knew _how_ to give in any more, if his heart and body would even cooperate... He was so used to being cold and unfeeling that it was what he had become, and he could not shrug off those carefully constructed walls so casually. His mind was screaming at him to get away from her before something terrible happened, even as his heart caused his eyes to close as he leaned forward into her touch, hating how desperately needy and vulnerable she made him feel. He was a loner... He had been before her, and he had been after. He didn't want to need her again, because his love was a poison that killed everything it touched. But he knew that he still loved her, that he'd never stopped loving her, and perhaps the battle was already lost.

"I... I can... call Sephiroth for you," Vincent offered weakly, desperate to get her attention off of him so that he could clear his head and decide what to do. He felt guilty for using their son as a distraction, but knew that the two of them would needed to be reunited soon anyway. He wanted to make Lucrecia happy, and their shared child was the one thing he knew he could give her. Perhaps while they were being reunited he could calm his racing heart and make a rational decision… At the moment, the contact was causing his body to work against him, and he simply could not focus on doing what was best for both of them.

"Could you? Really? Do you think he would want to see me…?" Lucrecia asked hopefully, though she left one warm hand pressed against his cheek and did not move away from him. Most of his mind remained focused on her touch, and he swallowed hard. "It would mean so much to me, to see my son. _Our_ son..."

Vincent nodded, then gently moved away from her, retrieving his PHS from an end table as he tried to calm himself. He did his best to avoid her love-filled gaze as he entered Sephiroth's number and waited for an answer. He could only hope their son was in a good mood and strong enough to handle the shocking development.


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Aeris was watering the flowers she kept in the kitchen when she heard Sephiroth's PHS begin to ring. She could still hear the water running in the shower down the hall, so she hastily set her watering can down on the countertop. She stepped off the wooden stool she'd been using to reach one of the hanging baskets, then walked into the living room to retrieve the device from where he'd left it on an end table.

"Hello?"

"Aeris? This is Vincent," he said unnecessarily, his voice unmistakable even over the phone, deep yet almost hauntingly quiet. He seemed only mildly surprised that she had answered instead of his son. "Is Sephiroth at home?"

She glanced down the hallway, and a moment later heard the water being shut off. "He's just getting out of the shower," she informed him, frowning a bit. Vincent sounded odd somehow... Almost as if he was upset about something, which was very rare. "He just got back from the afternoon practice drill. Why, is something wrong?" she asked, filled with concern. If Vincent's emotions were coming through even long distance, something was definitely happening.

"No... not exactly..." Vincent said, sounding quite uncertain, which caused Aeris to frown more deeply. "But I need to talk to Sephiroth. It is important..."

Sephiroth peered into the room from the hallway a moment later, his wet hair trailing down his back and shoulders, a towel wrapped around his waist. He'd heard the ringing and gave Aeris a questioning look. She mouthed Vincent's name to him, trying not to look worried but knowing she failed at least in part. He lifted an eyebrow, then walked the rest of the way into the room. He watched her curiously as if he, too, somehow knew something was amiss.

"Hold on a second, Vincent." She put her hand over the receiver and turned to Sephiroth, holding it out toward him. "He says it's important." She shrugged as he took the device from her, looking puzzled, and held it to his ear.

"Yes?" Aeris watched as Sephiroth looked to the ceiling while listening, his usual frown deepening. "Why?" he asked after a pause, his brow knitting together in suspicion. "What is so important that you cannot tell me now?"

Aeris wasn't usually one to eavesdrop, but she could sense that something very important was going on, and could not take her eyes off of Sephiroth as he spoke. She could only guess at what Vincent was saying on the other end.

"I just got home… I am not even dressed yet," Sephiroth said flatly, beginning to look annoyed. Aeris wished that he and Vincent had a better relationship, but each was still so shocked by the fact that they were father and son, and so emotionally closed off from others, that it hadn't been possible past one word answers and nodded acknowledgements.

"Hmph," Sephiroth said to whatever Vincent's reply had been. "No, I suppose you would not... Very well, I will come. Aeris, too?" He glanced over at her for a reaction, and she nodded without hesitation, smiling reassuringly. Whatever it was, she would gladly accompany him. "All right... We will be right over." Sephiroth hung up with a great sigh as he set his PHS back on the table.

"What did he say?" Aeris asked, watching as her husband began to pace back and forth across the kitchen, obviously troubled.

"He said that he has something very important that he needs to show me, and I must come to his home in order to see it. I do not like going there..." Aeris avoided reminding him that he had never even _been_ inside Vincent's home, and neither had she or anyone else, but decided that it wouldn't be a good idea.

"It must be important, then... Vincent isn't one to overreact, Seph," Aeris pointed out, watching as he paced, barefoot and wearing only a towel, back and forth in front of her. He was dripping a good deal of water onto the floor, but seemed unaware of that fact. He was so distracted by the call that he'd largely forgotten about his state of undress. "We ought to get over there right away. It'll give you and your father a chance to talk, at least. You two really ought to do that more often, you know..."

Sephiroth grunted at the sore subject, but did finally stop pacing. "I will go and get ready, then... I hope you do not mind coming along."

"It's fine," Aeris said with a reassuring smile. She liked Vincent, and felt sorry for the lonely, antisocial man. She had tried repeatedly to get he and Sephiroth to talk more often, but neither was ready to face the other on a personal level. They had actually been more able to talk _before_ they knew they were related, a fact she found odd and troubling. Even when she had tried to talk to Vincent, wanting to get to know him better and maybe even help him with some of his pain, he usually remained aloof, as if he was bothered by her presence. As with Sephiroth, prying usually only made him retreat further into himself. He would have to want to open up, and thus far no one had been able to cross that bridge with him as she had, in part at least, with his son. He and Sephiroth were so much alike, and it killed her that neither could see that.

Sephiroth soon reentered the room, now fully dressed in a gray shirt and his usual black pants and boots, his hair neatly combed. Aeris smiled at him, still warmed by the sight of him every time he entered a room in the house..._ their_ house. Aeris reached out and took his gloved hand in hers, and together they left their home and headed for Vincent's building across town.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Lucrecia remained seated on the couch, wringing her hands in her lap. She listened closely to Vincent's end of the conversation, as he first spoke with someone he'd called Aeris, and then, presumably, with Sephiroth. _Aeris.._. Why did that name sound familiar to her?

She frowned, trying to remember. Whoever it was, she was apparently living with Sephiroth... and then it hit her. She was the same woman who'd been in the cave with he and Vincent, when she'd appeared as a ghost and helped her son to break free from his madness. Lucrecia remembered how she'd sensed something about her, some kind of connection between she and her son even then. That, at least, was a burden lifted from her soul. Now if only Vincent was not so alone... though a part of her had been very much relieved when she learned he was living by himself. She quickly banished the thought, ashamed of herself. How could she take joy in his isolation, selfishly hoping he might still have a place in his life for her after all the pain she'd caused him?

"I do not care, Sephiroth," Vincent was saying, his back to her as he spoke into his PHS. "This is extremely important." Lucrecia fought a smile as she listened, noting how much he sounded like a scolding father. She doubted he even realized it, watching as he sighed in annoyance, then sharply inclined his head. "_Yes_, you need to come here, immediately. Do you think I would exaggerate?… Yes... And bring Aeris with you. She ought to be here as well." There was a pause, and then he nodded again. "Very well... I will see you shortly." He hung up the phone with another sigh, shaking his head.

"Is... is he coming?" Lucrecia asked nervously, still wringing her hands. Vincent nodded after a pause, almost as if he had forgotten she was there. "Do the two of you spend a lot of time together?" she ventured to ask, though she feared she already knew the answer.

Vincent remained standing, walking back to the bookshelf and gazing at it absently. "No... Aeris is always trying to arrange it, but it is... awkward... for both of us."

Lucrecia nodded, though at the moment she wanted nothing more than to have her son and his father both there with her. "Yeah... I guess it would be."

"It is... strange. I am physically younger than he is. He has never had a father, and he is not about to accept anyone, let alone myself, in that role. I am not ready to fill it very well, anyway. It came as quite a surprise, and neither of us is very... forward with our feelings."

Lucrecia bit her lip at his obvious discomfort, both at having her in his home and discussing their son. "Maybe it just needs more time," she said hopefully, desperate to make everything right, the way it should have been all along. _Maybe _we_ just need more time..._

"Perhaps..." Vincent trailed off, though he did not sound convinced or even very enthusiastic. "He has his own life now, though... working with the army and living with Aeris. I do not wish to intrude. She... often invites me over, but I do not usually accept. I do not want or deserve her pity."

"Aeris must be a wonderful person," Lucrecia said, and Vincent nodded much to her relief. That her troubled son had found a good woman to love him and help him to heal his wounds eased her mind, even though she knew she would never stop feeling guilty about the way his life had been due to choices she made long before he was even conceived.

"She is very good at helping Sephiroth deal with his emotions... which is why I asked her to come with him now. We may need her assistance..."

Lucrecia wondered what, exactly, he meant by that, but before she could respond, there was a sharp knock at the door. Lucrecia's heart began to pound, her chest tightening with anticipation and fear. Vincent looked first to the door, then back at her.

"Stay seated. I will deal with this..." She nodded mutely, thinking that she probably could not have moved if she wanted to, and watched as Vincent answered the door.

"Hi, Vincent," a cheerful female voice greeted him, spreading like a light into the darkness of the basement dwelling. Aeris, she assumed. She watched the back of Vincent's head as he nodded to her, and gestured for her to enter with his claw, his other hand still on the doorknob. A petite woman with long, braided brown hair slipped past him, wearing pink pants, little white sandals, and a white blouse. She had a large pink bow in her hair, and her warm green eyes shone with an inner joy. She was beautiful, and seemed to glow with a positive energy that made Lucrecia instantly like the young woman.

Aeris noticed Lucrecia sitting on the couch almost immediately despite the dim lighting, stopping dead in her tracks, her green eyes widening in surprise as her mouth dropped open to form a silent 'O'. It was obvious that despite the brief time Aeris had seen her as a partially transparent ghost, she recognized her instantly. Lucrecia could only stare back tearfully as Sephiroth stepped into the room after her, turning to face Vincent as he closed the door.

"This had best be as important as you say it is," Sephiroth said with annoyance, oblivious to what Aeris was gaping at just behind him. It seemed he had just been swimming or recently gotten out of the shower, his long silver hair still quite wet and trailing down his back.

"Sephiroth..." Aeris said quietly, without taking her eyes away from Lucrecia.

"Because if it is not," Sephiroth went on, glaring at the silent Vincent, who did not so much as blink, "I will _not_ be happy."

"_Sephiroth_," Aeris repeated more urgently.

"What is it, Aeris?" he asked, finally turning his harsh gaze away from Vincent, who still said nothing, standing stiffly just inside the door. As he turned to look at her, his expression subconsciously softening, he noted that she was staring across the room at something and followed her gaze with his green Mako eyes. When he noticed what she was looking at, however, he tilted his head in confusion as he slowly looked Lucrecia over, unsure of what he was seeing. She felt her throat constrict as tears filled her eyes, and she rose on shaky legs, taking a few steps closer and looking up into his puzzled face.

"Sephiroth..." she whispered, holding out one hand. At the sound of her voice, he gasped aloud, his expression forming into one very much like Aeris' initial reaction. "Gods, Sephiroth... my baby..."

He managed to close his mouth after a moment, frowning severely, though she could see a muscle in his jaw twitch as his eyes darted about uncertainly. Instead of going to Lucrecia as she wanted, her arms held out for him, he turned on his heel and glared at Vincent accusingly, his handsome features twisted into an angry snarl.

"What is the meaning of this?" he whispered coldly, his voice shaking despite his effort to control himself. "Explain this immediately!"

"Your mother..." Vincent said quietly, looking across the room at Lucrecia with obvious affection, though it was clear that he did not mean for it to show, "has returned."

"She is _dead_. What do you think you are trying to do?" Sephiroth said, taking a step closer despite the hand Aeris had lifted to grab a hold of his forearm. Lucrecia was beginning to see why Vincent had sounded concerned about his reaction. He may have no longer been insane, but it was obvious that he still had a lot of emotional issues to deal with. The thought of what he must have endured in his life left her sick to her stomach.

"I have done nothing," Vincent said, unflinching as he and Sephiroth stood eye to eye, his voice as calm as a placid lake. His coolness seemed to further irritate Sephiroth, who was visibly shaking by now. "I was asleep, and I awakened to find her here. She can explain this better than I can, if you will listen."

"This must be a trick!" Sephiroth said, his voice echoing through the dark room. Lucrecia briefly wished Vincent had turned on a light for them, even if there was only one very small lamp in the room that might not have helped much.

"I… don't think so, Seph," Aeris said quietly, fearlessly stepping in front of him to separate him from Vincent before completely lost his temper. "I can... I can just... _feel_ it. I can sense that she's really Lucrecia. She feels the same to me as when she appeared in the cave, only now the feeling is _much _stronger..."

Sephiroth stopped glaring at Vincent over her head and looked down at her in surprise as she placed a hand on his chest, some of his annoyance and anger fading. "…Really?" he asked hesitantly, and Lucrecia felt a few tears spill down her cheeks as her son finally turned and met her eyes. "You are certain?" he asked, sounding much less confident about his earlier judgment. It was clear that he trusted Aeris very deeply.

"Yes," Aeris said firmly, her hand now more comforting than restraining. "Somehow, she is really your mother."

"Thank you," Lucrecia whispered, nodding to Aeris with gratitude. The woman seemed to have abilities beyond those of a normal human being, something else she'd sensed about her in the cave, when as a ghost she'd had a wider range of perceptions. She was thankful Aeris was able to tell she was being honest, as she had no further proof of her true identity aside from her words.

Sephiroth was openly staring at her now, his eyes wide and his expression filled with surprise, distrust, and confusion. Slowly, some of the distrust was replaced with hope, and he took a cautious step forward.

"Mother?" he asked quietly, and Lucrecia had to hold back a sob at hearing him call her that. Hearing him with her own ears, and not through her disembodied spirit.

"Yes," she managed to say, nodding her head shakily. "It's me."

He tilted his head, studying her closely, looking her over as if seeing her for the first time and trying to commit her appearance forever to his memory. When he reached her eyes again, he paused, and threw a questioning look at Aeris. She smiled up at him and nodded, tears in her own eyes, and Sephiroth sighed heavily. When he turned back to Lucrecia, however, he awkwardly reached out to her, and she immediately crossed the distance between them and threw herself into his arms, really hugging her son for the first time.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

After the emotional reunion, the four remained gathered in Vincent's dark living room, if the dismal place even deserved that label. Lucrecia and Sephiroth were seated next to each other on the couch, Lucrecia holding one of Sephiroth's hands tightly, as if she was afraid to let go and lose him again. Aeris sat in a rickety old chair nearby, watching them and sniffling occasionally at the moving scene. Vincent remained standing, pacing the length of the room every so often, keeping his distance as if he did not feel he had the right to intrude.

"And that's... how I ended up here," Lucrecia said, finishing the retelling of her long and complicated tale.

"That's amazing..." Aeris said, awestruck. "You were _so_ lucky that woman in the lab had a conscience and let you go."

"I know," she said, frowning. "I can't even bear to think about... what would have happened if I'd remained there. He would have..." She trailed off, looking down into her lap and fighting new tears, something that seemed to make Sephiroth very uncomfortable.

"Then do not think of it," he said from her side, squeezing her hand a little. "It did not happen. You are here now... safe. I will not let anyone harm you."

Lucrecia smiled up at him, lifting her free hand to touch his cheek. "I know," she said, feeling pride swell up in her chest. Her son had grown into a strong, handsome young man, honorable despite his hard life and all his faults. "I just... wish I had been able to do the same for you." She looked into his eyes and winced at all the buried pain and dark memories she saw there, knowing that all of it was her fault. "What I did to you was unforgivable..."

Sephiroth shook his head rapidly, not wanting to hear it. "No, it was Hojo, not you," he told her firmly, saying the man's name as if it were a vile curse. "And Mother... I do not know if Vincent has told you or not, but-"

"I know, Sephiroth," she interrupted him, a tear slipping down her cheek. "He told me. I know that Hojo isn't your father."

"You have _no idea_ how glad that revelation made me," Sephiroth said quietly, a slight smirk crossing his face. "To think that I was related to that man..." He visibly shuddered, making Lucrecia wonder just what her ex-husband had done to her son. She felt intense anger begin to build within her, an emotion she had seldom experienced in her previous life. Now was not the time, however, and she quickly pushed the negative feelings aside.

Lucrecia noticed that Vincent had stopped pacing, glancing over at them for an instant before quickly looking away. He looked rather surprised, and it seemed to her that Sephiroth had probably never said such a thing in front of him before. She looked back and forth between the two of them several times, noting just how much alike they looked. Sephiroth may have had her eye color, and she didn't know _where_ the silver hair had come from, but his delicate, attractive facial features, his expressions, his height and build, and even his voice were very similar to Vincent's. The resemblance was undeniable.

"I'm very glad," Lucrecia said, rubbing her thumb against the back of Sephiroth's gloved hand. She wondered why he was wearing them, since it was not cold outside. "But it makes what I did to you, and to Vincent, that much worse... I stayed with Hojo because I thought he was your father, and I wanted you to grow up knowing him, with a family that was whole. I knew what it was like not to have my own father around for most of my childhood, and I didn't want you to feel the same kind of pain and emptiness I did. But look what happened to you instead... If I had done the right thing and left..."

"There is no sense in blaming yourself now," Sephiroth said quietly. "It cannot change anything."

"I know..." she said, wiping at her eyes as more tears threatened to fall. "But I should have been stronger. I should have been strong enough to stay with you after you were born. I just want you to know that I'm sorry... I'm sorry I let Hojo experiment on you, and I'm sorry I was too weak to survive and raise you myself..."

She looked up at Sephiroth with such guilt and love in her eyes that he had to look away, shifting uncomfortably. "I am not angry at you," he said, his eyes somewhere over Aeris' head. "I never was. I only wanted to know you..."

"Maybe now we'll have the chance," she said, and he nodded a bit stiffly. She could see that it would take time for Sephiroth to feel comfortable around her, but she was willing to wait. She had the time now... And she was never going to waste such a precious and irreplaceable thing again.

Just then, the PHS sitting on the coffee table rang, and Lucrecia heard Vincent make a sound of annoyance before crossing the room and picking it up. "Hello?" he asked, turning his back to avoid the questioning looks he was receiving. "Is it an emergency?" A pause. "Then why are you calling me? ... I see. All right, I will come and sign the papers, but after that I am _not_ to be disturbed again until further notice. I am… in the middle of something. You are in charge until further notice… Very well."

Vincent ended the call, then turned to give the three an apologetic look. "A burglar my officers have been looking for weeks has been arrested, and they need me to sign a search warrant for the suspect's room at the inn... It should only take a few minutes."

"Go ahead and take care of it," Aeris said easily, smiling reassuringly. "We'll be fine waiting here for you. And a lot of people will be relieved to have that thief off the streets. I know I am!"

Vincent nodded stiffly, slipped into his boots and cloak, then soundlessly exited his home, closing the door behind him after throwing Lucrecia one last look, as if begging her not to vanish before he returned. An awkward silence hung in the room behind him before Aeris cleared her throat and smiled cheerfully at Lucrecia.

"Vincent must be so happy to see you," Aeris said, looking a bit dreamy as if she loved romantic stories that ended happily. Vincent may have been acting like his usual, distant self, but Aeris had no doubt that he must have been feeling intense emotions inside.

"I... I'm not sure," Lucrecia stammered, feeling a bit ill. "He... hasn't said much..."

"He's just being Vincent," Aeris said with a grin. "Was he always this quiet?" she asked curiously, giving the impression that Vincent didn't share much information about himself with them. That, too, had always been true of him. He had always been slow to trust, and for good reason. And then she had given him even more reason...

Lucrecia nodded a bit fondly at the memories she had of him. "Oh yes... Well, maybe not _this_ quiet, but he was never very talkative, at least not around most people. He was always able to talk to me more easily, though. We were very close... Gods, I was so stupid..."

Aeris listened attentively while Sephiroth remained silent, staring at a wall as if deep in thought as Lucrecia continued to hold his hand in hers.

"I'm glad he'll have someone he can talk to now..." Aeris finally said. "There are a lot of things he needs to get off his chest, I think. I know he feels very guilty about what happened to you, and Sephiroth... and what he deals with because of Chaos must be very difficult, but he never complains."

The instant Lucrecia frowned, clearly confused, Aeris turned bright red, looking down into her lap. "Oh no... I'm sorry, I didn't even think that... He hasn't had a chance to tell you yet, has he. Me and my big mouth..."

Sephiroth snorted, something that could have been a short laugh.

"Chaos?" Lucrecia asked curiously, pushing her glasses back into position on her nose.

"Umm... I think you'd be better off asking Vincent. _Later_," Aeris stammered, still clearly embarrassed. Lucrecia nodded wordlessly, her mind racing.

What was going on? What had Hojo _done _to him because he had loved her? She knew now that Hojo had known of their affair almost all along... He'd told her so quite arrogantly when she'd awakened in his laboratory with all of her memories. That was why, he explained, he had 'altered' Vincent, as he put it, making him into what he had called an 'undesirable freak' who no one would ever be able to love again. He told her he'd made it as painful and humiliating as possible, to repay him for sleeping with his wife and attempting to ruin his experiment. Lucrecia had tried to fight it, but was unable to avoid crying, something that had pleased Hojo immensely. And she had cried even harder when he told her that some of what Sephiroth had endured was also meant to pay her back for her unfaithfulness, despite how cruel and abusive he had been to her during their marriage. So much pain, because she had been weak...

"All right..." she gave in, feeling even more nervous than before. It seemed that a lot more was going on with Vincent than she might have guessed, things that went far deeper than his altered appearance. How much had he truly gone through because of her? Was there any way she could ever possibly make it up to him? Would he even let her try?

The door opened a moment later, and Vincent reentered the room, not making so much as a sound. He had always been so silent, able to move about with a grace and stealth that enabled him to avoid detection unless he wanted to be seen. It was largely because of his training with the Turks, she knew, but there was also something about Vincent himself that time had not changed. It was as if he did not want the notice of others, that he feared what might happen if he was given recognition. He was always a step behind, lurking in the shadows, as if he never wanted to be seen. He had never asked for anything from her... All he had ever done was give her his love.

"Is everything all right?" Lucrecia dared ask him, to which he simply nodded, returning to where he'd previous stood with his back to the others. She bit her lip, wanting desperately to get through to him and heal all of his pain. Aeris seemed to notice the tense silence and quickly spoke up, changing the subject.

"Are you going to be staying here in Junon Harbor, Lucrecia?" she asked, trying to keep her tone casual, as if it were any other conversation on any other day. Her friendly and open manner _did _help Lucrecia to feel a bit less nervous, and she was glad the other woman had come. The men certainly weren't making this easy.

"I... I would like to," she said awkwardly, glancing briefly at Vincent, who had not spoken a word directly to her since before Aeris and Sephiroth arrived. He had barely even looked at her, something that caused her chest to tighten with worry. "I don't have anywhere else to go, and I'm afraid Hojo may come looking for me..."

"Sephiroth and I have an extra room if you need a place to stay," she offered, though she won a startled glance from her husband at the suggestion. "The inn here is very nice, too, if you'd prefer that. I'm sure we can find you a place to stay for the night, until you can settle in somewhere more permanent. And if you need clothing or anything else, it's no problem at all."

"Thank you," Lucrecia said, smiling at Aeris and already feeling as if she had a daughter now, too. "I really appreciate that."

"That will not be necessary."

All three turned to where Vincent had come to stand, just behind the chair Aeris was seated in. He looked uncomfortable under their collective stare, but stood his ground with his arms folded across his chest. "She can stay here with me... if... she wants to..."

Lucrecia fought hard for a moment to swallow the lump in her throat, then managed to nod her head. "I... I... Yes, I'd like that..." she stuttered, feeling her face flush as she looked up at him. This time, he briefly met her eyes, and she felt the familiar bond of love flare to life between them. From the expression that briefly flickered across his face, she was almost certain that he had felt it, too. "If... if you really don't mind..."

Vincent shook his head, as if the idea was ridiculous. "Not at all. If you can stand being in this place with me, I would like you to stay..."

Lucrecia smiled warmly at him, not caring how dark his home was, how badly furnished it was, or how isolated it was from the rest of the city. She didn't care about the golden claw that had replaced his left hand and forearm, or about the red of his eyes and the distance in his voice. He was still Vincent, and she wanted to be with him no matter what.

Aeris, suddenly feeling like an intruder into a very private discussion, stood and stretched. "Sephiroth and I ought to be going then, so you two can talk for a while." Lucrecia had to keep from thanking her aloud for her tact and perception.

Sephiroth nodded, and turned to Lucrecia with a very faint smile. Though only the corners of his mouth turned up, the feeling went all the way to his eyes. "I am glad you are back," he said, sounding a bit shy.

"So am I," she said, leaning over to hug him tightly. He remained stiff in her embrace for a moment, then awkwardly returned the gesture before standing and moving to Aeris' side, where she instantly took a hold of his hand.

"It was nice meeting you, finally," Aeris said to Lucrecia, still beaming. "Why don't the two of you come over to our place for breakfast tomorrow? We all have a lot of catching up to do... and I make decent pancakes, no matter what Seph may try to tell you!"

Lucrecia couldn't help but smile back at her. "That sounds nice," she said, though Vincent did not react to the invitation and Sephiroth appeared to be trying hard not to frown.

"Great! Come on over around ten, and I'll have everything ready."

With that, Aeris and Sephiroth headed to the door, Sephiroth pausing to take a long last look at his mother before closing the door behind them. Lucrecia lifted a hand to wipe at her eyes again, then took a deep breath and looked up to where Vincent had gone to stand, near the bookcase with his back to her once more. She suddenly felt very nervous, even more so than she had before, and quite unsure of herself.

"Vincent... If it makes you uncomfortable, I can find somewhere else to stay," she began awkwardly, though she wanted nothing more than to remain with him. He seemed not to have heard her, crossing the room to finally switch on the room's one small lamp, a dim golden light coming to life and painting shadows on the dark walls. She was about to address him again when he suddenly turned to look at her, his eyes intense.

"No, I want you to stay..." he said a bit more firmly, and she swallowed hard at all the things she could see in his eyes despite his efforts to hide them.

"And I want to stay, very much," she assured him, forcing a smile. "Come and sit down, Vincent. Please."

He hesitated for long moments, his eyes darting about as if he was deep in an argument with himself. Finally, she heard him sigh, and he walked slowly across the room, his footsteps silent even on the cement floor. When he reached her, Lucrecia looked up into his face, though he kept his eyes averted. Hesitantly, she reached up and took a careful, gentle hold of his clawed hand, causing him to flinch and attempt to pull the limb away. She held on a bit more tightly, though, refusing to let him withdrawal it. She wanted him to know that it didn't matter to her how he'd changed physically. Inside, she knew he still had the same heart and soul she'd loved thirty years before and never stopped loving even after death. After another brief pause, Vincent finally gave in and sat down beside her, Lucrecia keeping her hold on his metallic limb.

Vincent sat stiffly beside her on the worn couch, still hardly able to believe that it truly was Lucrecia who was seated next to him and holding his hand. His unnatural hand, part of what set him apart from all others, part of the punishment for his sins... Yet she held it with a familiar tenderness, as if she saw it only as a part of him, and not something to be feared or avoided. How he wished that were true...

He found himself unable to speak, unable to even look at her. He concentrated on continuing to breathe and keeping his expression carefully neutral despite all of the conflicting feelings rushing through him. He felt as though he was in shock, his mind racing as his heart pounded with the renewal of all he had felt so far back in time. He didn't want to make himself vulnerable and lose his heart to her all over again... But at the same time, he desired just that, and he couldn't have helped it anyway. From the first time he'd seen her in the laboratory, wearing her long white lab coat, glasses sliding down her nose and her hair carelessly pulled into a ponytail at the base of her neck, he had known there was something about her. And despite the fact that she was married, and that he had never known the feeling before, he'd been unable to keep from falling in love. Now it was happening all over again... Or had it ever really ended?

"Vincent?" she asked from his side, when he still had not spoken or moved a full minute later. The voice of an angel... Her quiet question, and the affectionate way she always spoke his name, as if he was so much more than the lonely, isolated man he'd always thought he was, startled him from his thoughts. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, not trusting himself to really look at her for fear of what it would evoke.

"Yes?" he asked, fighting to keep his tone neutral. He heard her sigh in response and saw her shake her head sadly, though she kept her hold on his hand, lightly running her thumb over the back of it though he had no feeling in the prosthetic.

"Vincent... I just... want to fix everything," she said, her voice strained with barely withheld tears. "I want things to be the way they used to between us," she nearly whispered, and he fought hard not to let her see how deeply the words affected him. Could she mean that? Did she really want to be with him again, despite everything he'd done to hurt her, regardless of what he had become? He could scarcely believe it, and forced himself to remain stiff and emotionless, fighting to ignore the rapid beating of his heart. He had never expected to feel such life in it ever again.

"What... are your intentions toward me?" he forced himself to ask, his deep voice quiet and almost chillingly devoid of emotion. He could sense the stunned, nearly hurt look on her face without looking, regretting his statement almost instantly. He was still hurting her, even now... but it was something he truly needed to know. He could not risk letting himself feel for her again unless he knew exactly what she intended for them.

"My... intentions?" she asked, sounding pained. "What... what do you mean? I love you, I told you that. You were the first person I thought of when I woke up in the lab, and I knew I had to find you." She paused, sniffling and wiping at her eyes with her free hand before continuing. "I... I came here to find you, to make sure you were all right... and I see that you're not. You've been blaming yourself for things you had no control over, you've isolated yourself from everyone... And it's all my fault. I want to stay here and spend the rest of my life making it up to you, making up for everything I ever did to hurt you."

She looked down into her lap, tears trailing down her cheeks and eventually dripping from her chin. Vincent's stomach twisted in knots, and his heart felt as if someone had plunged a knife into it. She was still hurting because of him... All he ever did was bring her pain. If she stayed, would he only bring her more bad memories and suffering?

"You owe me nothing," Vincent said, his eyes on the far wall. "I was not good enough in the past... Why would anything change now?"

"Not good enough?" she asked, sounding confused. "Vincent, you were the best thing that ever happened to me! If it hadn't been for you, I... don't know what I might have done. You were what kept me sane, kept me going. Sometimes, the only reason I got out of bed in the morning was to see you, even if it could only be from a distance..."

"But you still died. And I did not prevent it. I was unable to convince you to leave Hojo, or to protect yourself..."

This time, the guilt in his voice was paired with obvious hurt, something he scolded himself for. He could not let her know how much it had hurt him that she claimed to love him, but would not run away with him, where she would have been safe. It was not her fault, he told himself firmly. He was not good enough for her, and he never would be. Now, he was not only weak and inadequate... he was a monster as well.

"I had a _choice_, Vincent. I made the wrong one," Lucrecia said, her voice a bit louder and more confident, something he'd always worked so hard to bring out in her. He'd always wanted her to love herself the way he did, to see herself through his eyes. She even sounded a bit angry, he thought, listening to her every word. "It had nothing to do with you, and everything to do with me."

"Then _why?_" Vincent asked quietly, still looking away and staring at the wall, though his posture and expression were noticeably tense. "Why did you stay? At one point, you agreed with me that you needed to get away, that you were in danger. You said you... loved me... and wanted us to be married so we could raise the baby together. But then you changed your mind. You always did, every time... _Why?_" The hurt in his voice was so powerful that he winced, hating himself for letting it escape his grasp.

Lucrecia bit her lip, then released his hand from hers, reaching up instead to gently turn his chin toward her. "Look at me," she said quietly, when he kept his eyes averted. Reluctantly, Vincent complied, battling to keep his composure as his red eyes met her tearful green ones.

"I didn't leave him because... because... I convinced myself that the baby would make it all better," she said, keeping her hand beneath his chin so he couldn't look away. "I never had a relationship with my father, Vincent, you know that. I didn't want the same for my son. And... I... didn't think I deserved you..." She nearly whispered, new tears trailing down her cheeks.

"What?" Vincent asked, frowning, completely taken aback. "You thought... that_ you_ did not deserve _me_? I am hardly a man who would be considered a 'good catch,' Lucrecia... I never was. I was moody, depressed, kept to myself... I lived a dangerous life, and I burdened you with my problems when you had your own that were much more important. I did not even know what love was or how to handle it, because there had been no one else before you... You were always too good for me, and I knew it. I was foolish to think you would give up your husband and your work for me. There was nothing that I could have given you..."

Lucrecia shook her head, shifting her hand upward to rest along his cheek. Vincent lost his control for a moment, closing his eyes against her warm, familiar touch. "You gave me so much more than you know," she said quietly. "You gave me your heart, your love, and you _meant_ it... You didn't want anything in return. Your love was unconditional and selfless. You kept giving of yourself even when I gave you nothing back. You quietly accepted it when I chose to stay with Hojo, but you never stopped loving and supporting me. You took so much crap from me, Vincent, but you never turned me away. That's what makes me so mad! I hurt you, again and again, and you just _took_ it! You never complained, and every time I ran to you, you let me in... even though you knew I'd be gone in the morning. How could you let me _do_ that to you? And then to blame yourself for it! Dammit, Vincent, just once, I wanted you to stick up for yourself! How could you let me walk all over you like that? I love you, but I took advantage of you! Why can't you see that?"

She dropped her hand from his face, lifting a hand to her forehead and looking utterly miserable and guilt stricken. At that moment, she felt nearly as foul as Hojo, realizing that she had, in a way, hurt him as much as her husband had always hurt her. Perhaps far more. "Gods, Vincent. How could I have ever done that to you? And then to come and find you and expect you to forgive me..." She paused, letting out a brief, bitter laugh. "I'm a complete idiot. I threw away a future with my soul mate, a man who loved me for who I was and not what I could do for him, to stay with a madman who experimented on my son... and he wasn't even Sephiroth's father! I don't even deserve to be alive..."

"_Do not say that!_" Vincent suddenly exclaimed, looking at her with near-frightening intensity in his eyes. "I do not want to hear you speak that way, _ever!_"

Lucrecia jumped, shocked by his sudden outburst, cringing back against the couch cushions almost as if she expected to be struck. When she looked up again, his red eyes were focused on her face, and a deep frown had replaced his stoic expression. It was the expression he had worn so many times, when she would cry to him about the things Hojo had said or done to her... An expression of barely contained anger.

"I... I'm sorry," she stammered, looking down in shame, instantly feeling guilty for even thinking that he might retaliate. He wasn't Hojo, she knew that, and the two were nothing alike. Vincent would never, ever have lifted a hand to her or even _thought_ about it, no matter how upset he was. He was more likely to become quiet and distant when upset, turning the anger in on himself instead. But old habits were hard to break, and she fretfully wondered if she would ever entirely break free of Hojo's control. When she glanced up again, she found that he hadn't moved, but had already looked away in an attempt to regain his composure.

"I did not mean to raise my voice," he said quietly, clearly ashamed of himself, aware of how timid she could be and feeling guilty for having startled her. "But it... bothers me... to hear you say that. You have returned, and... I do not think I could stand losing you again. Once was bad enough..."

"I know..." she whispered in agreement. "Even when I was... between life and death... being apart from you, and from my... _our_ son... was devastating. I didn't know a ghost could be depressed." She forced a smile, looking up at him hopefully. "But somehow, I got a second chance... I don't think I deserve it after what I did, but... I'm not going to waste it, Vincent, and I'm not going to make the same mistakes again. And that includes being with you the way it should have been all along."

A brief flicker of hope flashed across Vincent's face, but he quickly wiped it away, shifting his weight and sighing. "How can you say that? Look at me..." He held up his metal claw for her to see, then met her eyes with his red ones. "I'm not the man you once knew... Hojo made sure of that. He made sure that no one could ever care for me again. He made me dangerous..."

"Dangerous?" she asked, frowning and again taking a hold of his clawed hand, determined to prove to him that she wasn't afraid. Her mind instantly returned to the conversation she'd had with Aeris while he'd stepped out. "Does... does this have to do with... something called Chaos?"

Vincent's eyes widened, and it was clear that he was alarmed. "How... how did you know about that?" he stammered, losing control of his tone and expression and not even bothering to try to hide it this time.

"I... Aeris... mentioned it, accidentally... but she wouldn't explain what it meant."

Vincent sighed, closing his eyes as if suddenly very tired. "Yes... Yes, that is why I am dangerous. Why I should not be around others. Especially not you..."

"What do you mean?" she asked, hearing the sharp pain in his voice. She looked up at him with love and support in her eyes, not wanting him to feel ashamed about anything around her.

"It is... part of what Hojo did to me," he began quietly, sounding very reluctant, as if he did not usually discuss it with anyone. "I am not sure how he did it... but... I can... transform..."

Lucrecia frowned, trying to figure out what he was talking about. "Transform how?" she asked, curious due to her scientific background in addition to her deep concern for the man she loved.

"There is a… demon that lives inside of me," he said, hanging his head. "And when it exerts its influence, my body... changes. It is quite painful, but that is not the worst of it. When this creature takes over, I... am unaware of my actions. I lose control of myself until I transform back some odd hours later, and at that time I have little to no memory past when the transformation began."

Lucrecia lifted a hand to her mouth, unable to believe what Hojo had been able to do to Vincent. How could he have done such a thing to another human being? Then again, he'd done much worse to his own wife and the child he thought was his son. "Gods, that's _awful._ I'm... I'm so sorry. It must be terrible for you..." She wanted nothing more than to embrace him, but the expression on his face told her that he would not welcome it.

"No... I know that I deserve it. It is my fate. It is others I am concerned about..."

"Why?" she asked quietly, still holding onto his clawed hand tightly. "You would never hurt anyone..."

"You give me far too much credit, Lucrecia... I used to be a Turk, after all. But past things aside... When I transform, it is as if I am... possessed. The transformations can be brought about by anger, danger, extreme pain... or sometimes out of nowhere. And after the first few seconds, during which I am usually crippled by pain, my vision goes... red... and my mind simply clouds over. I will wake up hours later, sometimes far away from where I began, sore and exhausted... with no memory of what I have done. And sometimes... there is... blood on me."

Lucrecia didn't know what to say, speechless for long moments as the pain on his face cut into her heart. She was filled with pity for him rather than fear, however, because she knew Vincent, better than anyone else ever had. And she knew he was not a violent man. Whatever he might do while under the influence of a being he could not control was not his fault, just as Sephiroth was not to blame for what he did while influenced by Jenova. And even if it meant risking experiencing one of these... transformations he spoke of, Lucrecia knew with certainty that she would never leave him. He simply needed her too much.

"There has to be some way to help you, some way to undo it... or at least control it a little better. Have you tried any medica-"

"No!" Vincent interrupted, raising his voice once more and pulling his hand away. "Do not try to help me. I am _beyond_ help. I am a monster. You must accept this and flee while you still can..."

"That isn't true," Lucrecia argued tearfully. "I'm not going to leave you, Vincent... You're still the same, no matter what he did to your body."

Vincent shook his head miserably. "No, I am not. What he did, it... changed a lot of things aside from my appearance. I am largely nocturnal now, and my senses are far stronger than a normal man's. I am stronger and have greater endurance, and I have instincts and desires that are not my own. Yet, somehow, they are..."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking at him with sympathy, far more concerned for him than afraid for herself.

"For instance… I sometimes have the desire to... hunt for food... even when it is not necessary. Something inside me simply wishes for the... thrill... of it. I usually catch myself and push the thought away, but when the urge becomes too strong and overwhelming... I transform. And then I am... afraid to think of what I do. Because afterwards, the need is not as strong for a time, as if it has been satisfied..."

"Oh, Vincent," she said, leaning over and holding him despite his stiff posture and miserable expression. "I'm so sorry..."

"Sorry?" he said with a bitter snort, remaining still in her embrace, forcing himself not to react. "Why should you be sorry? I have earned this..."

"You are so stubborn!" Lucrecia exclaimed with a short laugh. "How many times do I have to tell you that what happened to me was my own fault, as well as what happened to you? Can you ever stop blaming yourself?"

"I... do not know..."

"Then if it takes me the rest of my second life, Vincent Valentine, I'm not going to give up until you do!" She smiled at the thought of spending eternity with him, leaning back from the embrace and looking up into his eyes. "Talk to me, Vincent... Tell me how you feel."

Vincent sighed heavily, hanging his head and letting his hair fall across his face. Then he tossed it back and turned to her with an intent expression, the misery and guilt largely gone for the moment as he met her eyes and studied her face. Slowly, his features took on a softer look, until one corner of his mouth twitched in an attempt at a smile. The expression felt so unfamiliar to him that he could scarcely remember how to make his muscles perform the motion.

"I am... confused, surprised... relieved." He paused, looking uncomfortable. "I simply... feel alive again. I tried to get over you, Lucrecia, I tried to forget... but I could not... and I did not really want to anyway. I wanted your memory, the memory of every second we spent together, no matter how it pained me. And now that you are back... everything I went through was more than worth it. I love you..."

He was amazed at how easily the words came back, and at how natural it felt to speak them, words he never thought he would feel or utter again. The smile that crossed her face and the tears that filled her eyes only further served to warm the chill of many years from his heart. "I... I want you to stay...even though it will put you in danger. It is selfish, but I cannot help it. I missed you so much, and I do not want to lose you again..."

"Then... you want us... to be together?" Lucrecia asked shakily, sounding desperately hopeful and unsure of herself.

Vincent nodded pathetically, tears finally slipping down his cheeks. It felt so strange to cry... He hadn't done so in many years, but as he looked at her, he found he could not help it. "Yes... as difficult as it will be for me to remember how to live again... and as much as I will worry about the danger I may put you in. As guilty as I feel about the past, and as unworthy as I am... I want to be with you. I need you. But Lucrecia... this time... I will not share you. I cannot go through that again. If we are to be together, it can only be you and I... No one else."

The ultimatum was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to say. He wanted to be with her, no matter what, but he knew in his heart that he would not survive having to share her with another man again. After what it had cost them last time, it was something he simply could not allow.

"You'll never have to worry about that, I promise you," Lucrecia nearly whispered. "I would never be that stupid again... We belong together, and I don't want anyone else."

"Really?" he asked, looking down at himself doubtfully, allowing his insecurities to show through. How could she still want him when he looked as he did, and when he had so much darkness staining his soul?

"Really," she answered firmly, smiling through her own tears. "You are the man I love, the father of my child... This is fate."

She leaned forward and kissed him then, and Vincent knew the conversation was over. There was no way he could concentrate on anything else once her lips had touched his and her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck. He kissed her back gently at first, shocked at how quickly her presence had brought his body and soul back to life. It felt so easy, so natural, to be with her like this... even after so long and so many changes.

None of it mattered as they breathlessly stood together a while later, Vincent shyly taking her hand in his normal one and leading her toward the back room only after she had nodded her approval. Her face was as flushed as he knew his was, and he could scarcely believe what was happening. He briefly wondered if he was still asleep after all, but her hands on his body and her lips against his felt far too good to be another dream. Lucrecia had returned, and she was his again, forever.


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

When Lucrecia awoke the next morning, she briefly thought she had died and gone to heaven before realizing that quite the opposite had occurred. In reality, she'd actually returned from the dead, and found her way back into the arms of the man she loved. Opening her eyes, she found herself lying on one side, her head resting on her lover's scarred chest. His arm was tight around her, and she was careful not to move and disturb him as he continued to sleep. Under the hand she had resting on his chest, she could feel his heart beating. Though it was slower than a normal man's, she knew that he was still very much alive despite all that had been done to him.

She quietly shifted closer to him as they lay on the old mattress on the floor of the basement he now called home. It certainly wasn't the most glamorous or romantic setting in the world, and he'd been quite embarrassed by the state of his bedroom, but she wouldn't have changed a thing. Lucrecia smiled to herself and had to hold back the tears of joy that being with him caused to fill her eyes. She had rediscovered her soul mate, and met her son in person for the first time. After so many struggles and losses in her life, she finally felt complete.

As she lay there, the tears shining in her eyes, images of the day and night before flashed through her mind in a rapid haze of wonder. Though his skin was pale and cooler than she remembered, and he tried to avoid touching her with the metal claw that had replaced his left hand and forearm, Vincent was still the same man she had known and trusted with her heart and soul over thirty years before. Despite all he had endured and the pain he'd been living with, he had managed to remain the gentle and affectionate lover he'd always been. The intensity and passion that had always existed between them was unchanged… If anything, it had only increased. No matter what he thought of himself or told her in an attempt to convince her that he was a monster unworthy of her love, Lucrecia would not believe it. The way he had held her in his arms and made love to her was all the proof she would ever need that his heart remained the same. His manner was so soft, so devoted, that she'd even forgotten to be nervous and self-conscious, something no one else had ever been able to help her conquer. It was he who was embarrassed by the scars marring his pale chest, and while she was horrified to see what had been done to him, she quickly accepted them as a part of them and done her best to reassure him.

She remembered the day they first met as clearly as if it were yesterday, when he'd come to she, Hojo, and Professor Gast in the lab back in Shin-ra Headquarters. He'd been a solemn young Turk assigned to accompany them on a trip to Nibelheim, to protect them while they studied a creature called Jenova that had been discovered frozen nearby. During the trip, Vincent had remained nearly silent, doing his job flawlessly while keeping to himself. There had been something utterly fascinating and mysterious about him, though, and while Hojo and Gast either talked down to or ignored the man as a rented guard and concentrated on their work, from which she was often excluded as an inferior, lesser partner, Lucrecia felt strangely drawn to him. There was something in his dark eyes, buried beneath the cold exterior, a pain he was trying desperately to hide from the world. It was a look she recognized from her own reflection in the mirror each day, and it was amazing to find that feeling in another human being.

Gradually, her interest and attempts at conversation had cracked some of the shell around him, until they grew to be friends over the time they spent in the Shin-ra Mansion. And after returning to Midgar and Shin-ra Headquarters, they had continued the relationship, which seemed to grow deeper of its own volition each time they met. Vincent began to trust her, confide in her, just as she did in him. Hojo had become even more distant and engrossed in his work after their return with the new specimen and was rarely at home, as if he was married to Jenova and his theories instead of her. And when he _was_ with her, he was often rude, controlling, and abusive. Lucrecia was left lonely and hurt with only Vincent to share her feelings and dreams with after a lifetime of such rejection. Each time Hojo hurt her, she would run to him, and he would comfort her while she cried and promise that everything would be all right. He assured her that she was a wonderful, valued person who was far better than the way she allowed herself to be treated. And one night, as she'd looked across the table at him over a shared meal, she caught his eye and saw a look that had both thrilled and terrified her.

Love.

The way he hung on her every word, the way his eyes were always so fixed on her, the way he admired her and became so dependent on her while avoiding almost all other social contacts... He was in love with her, she realized, at the same time she admitted that she was in love with him, too. Several months after returning from Nibelheim, after a long discussion during which they'd confessed their feelings, the two had become lovers, seeking refuge and acceptance in each other's arms. Vincent hadn't cared that she had given herself to someone else in marriage, though he told her continually that she deserved so much better and did not have to suffer with Hojo when he was more than willing to take care of her himself. The small amount of time she was able to give to him, which never felt like enough, seemed to make him happier than he'd ever been. But it tore a hole in his heart at the same time, because he knew she would never truly be his. It was wrong, to both cheat on her husband and hold onto Vincent's heart when it was so clear that he'd become desperately dependent on her. The depth of love he felt for her and his undying devotion and near worship were so alien and strong that they terrified her at times. But it felt so right to be together, and neither had been able to stay away from the other, falling deeper with each meeting.

That was what had always amazed and fascinated her about Vincent... The way he was so completely devoted and attentive to her, as if nothing else mattered in the world, not even himself. He would have given up anything for her, including his own life, despite the fact that he was only the 'other man.' She had loved him more intensely than she had ever loved anyone or anything in the world, even though she remained unable to find the courage to leave her husband. The way he always listened to her, the way he spoke to her with such reverence and respect, the soft, almost shy way he touched her… the almost instinctive, overwhelming feelings they shared all set him apart from anyone she'd ever known. He was so strikingly different than Hojo, a man who seemed capable of seeing only the clinical and scientific side of things, and who only showed affection when it was convenient or benefited him in some way. Vincent was his opposite in almost every way, a quiet, thoughtful, sensitive man beneath his cold exterior as a Turk.

He had been so solemn, so isolated, as if he felt incapable and even unworthy of being accepted by others because of both his work and his past. He'd had so much pain in his heart, even then... things she understood all too well from her own life that paralleled his in many ways. Maybe that was what had drawn them together, their shared hurts and fears, like two wounded animals seeking shelter from the storm. Neither had ever revealed their secret, deepest pain to anyone else. But it had always felt like more than an act of simple chance or two people seeking relief in one another... Almost as if some cosmic force had placed them in the same location at the same time for a higher purpose.

Lucrecia remembered how helpless she felt when she realized she loved Vincent and became so intimately involved with him. She did love Hojo in his own way and longed to make her marriage work, desperate to avoid becoming the bitter and lonely woman her mother was. But Vincent's attention and love was like a bright light at the end of a long, dismal tunnel, her escape from a world that revolved only around their work even within the privacy of her own home. Even when her life had become centered around finding the time to get away from Hojo and everything else to be with Vincent, when she was sneaking around and nervously hoping no one would find out about their love affair, Lucrecia could not bring herself to make a decision one way or the other.

Vincent was so desperately lonely himself, though he would admit it only to her, and his feelings of aloneness and self doubt were so much like her own that it was really no wonder she had fallen so helplessly for him. And in the end, despite her struggle to keep her marriage together while sharing her heart with another man, Hojo's descent further into his work and his growing view of she and her unborn child as nothing more than specimens had shown her all too late that she'd made a grave error with her indecision. By the time she realized that she should have run with Vincent when he'd given her the chance, it was too late... for she, Sephiroth, and Vincent as well. And as it turned out, Hojo had know about their relationship... a fact that brought Vincent even more pain and torment at his hands.

Why had she not realized the truth earlier, she asked herself for the millionth time, looking up guiltily into Vincent's face. He appeared to be no older than he was thirty years ago, and the fact that his hair was so much longer actually made him appear younger somehow. At least in sleep, he looked relaxed, the guilt and pain removed from his features. No matter what had been done to him, he was still beautiful in her eyes. If only she had realized that she belonged with him then, if only she hadn't felt so trapped and bound by the piece of paper that kept her legally bound to Hojo. If only she had known that Sephiroth was _not_ Hojo's son! So many things would have been different. Because of her childhood experiences, she had simply assumed her relationship with Hojo was normal, that all husbands treated their wives as he did. Though the emotional and sometimes physical abuse had broken her heart and spirit, she had grown to accept it as a part of life that all people experienced.

It was Vincent's love that had eventually shown her that it didn't have to be that way. What she felt with him,_ that _was love. He was willing to open his wounded heart to her and risk everything, just to win a small place in her life. He would never have lifted a hand to her, or even _looked _at her with anger. His was a gentle soul, one that was greatly burdened by his unhappy past and the things he had to do as a Turk. But despite it all, even now that he had been changed by science and the passage of time, he was a beautiful person, one whose arms she barely felt worthy of occupying. Her mistakes had nearly cost him his life and his humanity, and had damned her son to a life of torment and pain. _Vincent's_ son.

Even as she lay there, secure in his arms, a tear escaped from the corner of one eye and trailed down her cheek, falling onto his chest and trailing down the long surgical scar just below the bullet wound beside his heart. She was happier than she'd ever been in her life, but the tears were for the person she'd once been, one who was too weak and blind to save herself and those she loved most. The guilt washed over her like a tidal wave, and more tears began to fall and drop onto Vincent's chest without her notice. A moment later, she felt him stir. She hastily lifted a hand to wipe at her eyes, not wanting him to see her crying first thing the morning after they'd been reunited and made love. _Damn_, she cursed herself. She was not about to allow dwelling on the past to ruin this for them.

Sniffling away the last of her tears, she watched as he frowned, shrugging off the fog of sleep as his eyes fluttered open. He looked confused for a moment, then heaved a contented sigh of relief as he turned his head to favor her with the soft, affectionate smile she had never seen him offer anyone else. When his eyes passed over her face, however, he instantly noticed the streaks left behind by her tears, his mouth turning down into a grave expression of concern. Lucrecia weakly returned his smile, still trying to hide that she'd been upset, but she knew it was too late. Vincent was far too perceptive, and he knew her much too well to be fooled. His brow creased in worry as he ran his hand along her bare back, pulling her closer to his side as he studied her face.

"You were crying," he said, his deep voice quiet and tender. "What is wrong?" He sounded almost panicked, as if he expected her to tell him that it had all been a mistake. Hoping to quiet his fears, she lifted her hand from his chest and softly caressed his pale cheek.

"No, Vincent, don't worry about it. Everything is all right," she tried to reassure him, again laying her head down on his chest. When she turned her chin upward to meet his eyes, she saw that he wasn't convinced. She was reminded of how he seemed able to read her mind at times, something that was both exhilarating and frightening at once.

"Tell me, Lucrecia," he insisted, the worry still evident on his face as he visibly braced himself for a blow he expected to come at any moment. "Whatever is bothering you..."

He trailed off into silence, and she watched as he self consciously buried his clawed hand beneath the blankets, lowering his red eyes in shame. Lucrecia's own eyes widened in horror when she realized how he was interpreting her tears. In the dark, in the passion of the moment, he'd been able to largely forget what Hojo had done to him, the physical changes and scars that went along with his emotional pain in setting him apart from others. He had forgotten how different he was the last time they were together, when he was closer to normal. But now he felt strange and frightening, a dangerous man holding an angel in his arms, one who was too innocent to realize the danger. In the light of morning, all of his fears and insecurities came rushing back, and it pained her to see how certain he was of her impending rejection.

"Oh gods, Vincent, no," she whispered, reaching out and turning his chin toward her, forcing him to meet her eyes, the shame evident on his face. "That's not it at all... I told you, I don't _care_ if you look different. I still think you're beautiful, inside and out. I never gave any of it a second thought last night. It was wonderful, and I love you. Nothing can change that!"

A brief glimmer of hope passed over his face, his lean body relaxing against hers beneath the thick blanket that covered them. She felt his arm tighten around her possessively, as if he thought that clinging to her physically would keep the forces of fate from taking her from him again. "Then... what is it that made you cry, my love?" he asked in a near whisper, his breath warm against her skin.

"I just..." she stumbled, trying to explain her feelings without adding any more guilt to what he already insisted on placing upon himself. "I'm just so happy to be with you, and I guess I was just regretting all the time I wasted," she told him, her eyes filling with new tears as her voice cracked. "I belonged here with you all along... No one else. There could _never_ be anyone else."

A single tear fell from her eye, threatening to join the others that had already rained down upon his chest. Vincent lifted his left arm from beneath the blanket without thinking, instinctively reaching out to wipe away the tears as he had so many times in the past. Inches away from touching his clawed fingers to her cheek, he realized what he was doing and froze, staring at the offending metal digits with disgust. He quickly jerked it away, intending to hide it from view again, but Lucrecia was faster. She reached out and grabbed a hold of his wrist, her slim fingers curling around the cool metal.

"Please don't do that," she quietly reassured him, guiding his arm back toward herself. "Don't hide it... This is a part of you now, and it doesn't bother me. I know you didn't choose to have this done to you. I will always accept you as you are, Vincent, and I want you to accept yourself, too."

"But..." he protested weakly, watching in horror as his angel held onto the metal mockery of a limb. He briefly tried to free himself from her grasp, but stopped after a moment for fear of hurting her.

"Shh," she told him, slowly bringing the clawed hand in to lightly brush against her cheek. The metal was cold and smooth, surprisingly not unpleasant, and the feeling sent a shiver down her spine. But she was not afraid, and guided the back of his hand to rest against her skin despite the alarm still evident on his face.

"Lucrecia, please..." he weakly protested, almost pleading with her. "I do not want to hurt you..."

"You won't," she told him confidently, looking into his eyes and trying to express everything she felt for him. Despite the blood red color, Vincent's gaze was still gentle and full of love, so intense that it raised goose bumps on her skin. "I trust you... You wouldn't ever hurt me."

"But I already have... I failed you, and-"

"Hush," she interrupted, releasing his claw and propping herself up onto one elbow to lean over him, lifting her fingers to cover his lips. "I don't want to hear you talk like that any more. It isn't true..." Slowly, she leaned down to lightly brush her lips against his in a tender kiss, quieting any further protests he might try to muster. After a moment, she lifted her head to look him in the eye again, grinning at the dazed expression he wore. "Are you finished beating yourself up now?" she asked teasingly, tracing her fingers down his chest.

"Absolutely..." he instantly replied, reaching up to run his hand through her long brown hair, gently bringing her down for another kiss. Shy and tender at first, Vincent soon deepened the kiss, holding onto her almost desperately.

"That's better," she said breathlessly when he released her, allowing him to gently ease her onto her back and hover over her, his eyes intense and focused on nothing in the world but her.

"I would stop breathing if you asked me to," he mumbled, his hand warm against her cheek as he leaned down and brought his lips to hers again, his kiss full of passion and barely contained desire.

"Don't do that," she managed to reply after several long moments, laughing softly. She kept one hand in his soft black hair and the other on his bare back, holding him close. "I love you, Vincent," she said softly, suddenly very serious as she gazed up into his eyes, feeling as if she could lose herself in his love.

"I love you, too. Always..." he replied, sealing his promise with a passionate kiss. No more words were needed between them as they held on to each other, as close as any two beings could come to sharing a soul. Lucrecia held him close and kissed him with all the love and longing she felt, trying to convince him that he was not a monster, but a man… One who was loved very deeply.

As Vincent moved to kiss her neck, a thought came to mind even as Lucrecia reached out and laced her fingers through those of his right hand.

"We're... going to be late for breakfast," she managed to say, her eyes closing in pleasure. It was now the absolute last thing on her mind, but she didn't want to be rude to her son and his wife.

"I think they will understand," Vincent replied, his voice muffled against her skin, before both of them gave up on speaking and gave in to their hearts.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_Thump thump... Thump thump... _

Aeris frowned in her sleep, mentally cursing whatever it was that was causing the offending sound. She curled herself more tightly into a ball on one side, clinging to the remains of her peaceful slumber. The sound continued, and after a few more minutes, she groaned and rolled over onto her back, sleepily opening her eyes and blinking away the sandmen.

"What _is_ that?" she mumbled, still half asleep, reaching out instinctively to hold her husband in her arms. When she found only a pillow where she expected his warm body to be, however, Aeris forced herself the rest of the way awake and sat up, looking around the dim room with mild alarm. Being married to Sephiroth was a wonderful experience she wouldn't have traded for the world, but his delicate mental state also meant that it was a lot of hard work and worry. She breathed a sigh of relief when she located him in the room, slowly pacing back and forth along the far wall, half of which was made up of a floor to ceiling window that looked out over the harbor. Though he was shirtless and barefoot, it appeared that he had been awake for some time. His footsteps, though soft, echoed off of the polished wood floor and filled the room despite his efforts to be quiet.

"Seph?" she asked, still half asleep and mildly annoyed at him for having awakened her at such an early hour. They'd been up until well past midnight, after all, talking about everything but what she strongly suspected was really been bothering him. Across the room, Sephiroth halted his pacing, looking over toward the bed with an expression of surprise and guilt.

"Did I wake you?" he asked quietly, frowning at his own carelessness.

"Well, yeah," she said, smiling at him and offering a short, quiet laugh. "But don't worry about it... What's wrong, Seph? Are you having trouble sleeping again?" Insomnia had been a constant problem for him, one that had kept both of them awake through many long nights. And when he did sleep, he was often awakened by haunting nightmares during which he would cry out and thrash about wildly until Aeris could cautiously wake him and try to comfort him. He rapidly shook his head, however, turning back to the window and looking out over the water as the sun began to rise.

"No... It isn't that," he assured her, folding his arms over his chest. He was still so self conscious about his issues, even after they'd been dealing with them together for so long. He wanted to be strong, the SOLDIER that no one could touch, but with all he had been through, it simply wasn't possible for him to keep it all inside and remain sane as he'd been able to do for the first twenty-five years of his life. She watched his face in the reflection of the glass, unable to interpret the confused and thoughtful expression he wore. "I was just... thinking..." he said vaguely, his tone uncertain.

"About?" she gently inquired, pulling the blankets up to her chin against the slight chill that had filled the room in the morning hours. Sephiroth was almost never forthcoming when discussing anything, and she was used to having to softly pry for information. Time had perfected her technique, and she usually knew just how to get him to open up.

She watched as his shoulders heaved with a heavy sigh, the frown on his face deepening in his reflection. "Yesterday," he said simply. It may have been only a one word reply, but that he would answer her at all was an incredible improvement over the months before.

Aeris nodded to herself, having expected as much. How would _she_ feel if her mother suddenly appeared, resurrected from the dead? She would have been thrilled, relieved, shocked, confused... Sephiroth had to be feeling all of those things, and such powerful emotions were something he had never been taught to deal with, only to hide. It was a long and difficult process to try to undo that damage, but Aeris was not about to give up on him, even though fate often seemed out to sabotage their efforts. He was still dealing with the fact that Vincent was his father, and now this had happened. It was a very positive turn of events, Aeris knew, but Lucrecia's return was going to be hard for Sephiroth to adapt to and accept.

"It must be so strange," she said, watching his back and wishing he would come back to bed, or at least turn to look at her. "To have her just... show up like that. I wouldn't know what to think, what to feel. I mean, I'd be happy and want to accept it, but I'd also be afraid it was a trick, and I wouldn't know how to act around her or what she expected of me," Aeris told him, trying to help him put his own feelings into words, to let him know that they were normal and she understood them and would help him sort them out. She watched as he slowly nodded his head, the expression on his face holding amazement at her continued ability to seemingly reach into his mind and touch his thoughts.

"I... I just..." he struggled, frowning at himself and glaring down at his feet. "I do not know what to think..." He sighed again, looking torn and very confused, and even a bit afraid. Sephiroth hated being out of control of a situation, hated being forced to deal with things he wasn't prepared for. He had come so far, Aeris thought as she watched him with concern. But he still had so far to go... Thirty years of emotional isolation and torment didn't go away over night, even when he had finally found love and understanding in another person.

"Seph, come here," she said, gently inviting him to return to the safety of her arms, where he wouldn't feel so alone and helpless. He wouldn't come if he wasn't ready, something she well knew. He could be warm and passionate one moment, then distant and unwilling to let her even touch him the next. It was hard not to take such occasional rejections to heart, but Aeris was a strong woman, and she knew that he never meant to hurt her. She knew that he loved her, and that love was worth fighting for, no matter how many hurdles were thrown in their path. Even so, she was relieved when he did finally turn around, then slowly began to walk across the room.

He approached her cautiously, his eyes a bit wary as she pulled back the covers, smiling warmly at him and trying to ease his mind with the love she knew would show through in her expression. He tentatively sat down on the bed, remaining on the edge of the mattress and moving no closer despite the fact that they'd been sharing it for nearly six months. He still seemed so uncomfortable and unsure of himself in moments like this that she couldn't help but wonder if he would ever completely allow the wall of protection he had built around himself his entire life to ease, even for her. Would he _ever_ fully trust her?

Aeris watched his back for several long moments, then decided to take a chance. She rose up on her knees, pulling her pink nightgown tighter around herself against the chill, and reached out to place a small hand on Sephiroth's bare shoulder. His muscles were so tense and rigid that he could have been made of stone, and though he flinched a bit, he didn't move away from her touch. Encouraged, Aeris lifted her other hand and gently began to rub his shoulders, something she'd found often helped him to relax, and also aided in building his trust in her touch. After a moment, he sighed and began to relax, his shoulders slumping as his head dropped forward, his eyes slowly lulling closed. Watching him relax that way was one of the most beautiful sights in existence to Aeris, and she couldn't help but smile fondly.

"It's all going to be all right," she told him quietly, speaking just behind his ear as she slowly worked the tension out of his well developed muscles. "You'll see. We're all just going to have a nice breakfast together, maybe talk a little... I'll be right there with you. I bet Lucrecia is as nervous as you are."

Quite a bit more relaxed than he was only minutes before, Sephiroth unconsciously rolled his shoulders back, leaning into her touch. His breathing had slowed, and he no longer seemed ready to bolt from the bed.

"It will be so awkward," he managed to say, his eyes still closed as Aeris worked her hands from his neck and shoulders down his bare back. "It is hard enough to face Vincent... And now somehow my mother is no longer dead."

"And they might be together again?" Aeris asked, sensing the main source of his anxiety. She could imagine how odd it must be for him to see his parents, physically younger than he was, together for the first time since before his birth.

Sephiroth nodded, leaning back against her a bit more heavily. It pleased Aeris immensely to watch him relax, trusting her and opening up to her. "Yes... I never... They were not present when I was a child," he stumbled to explain, blushing a bit. "And now... I have found both of them. To see them together is... haunting..."

"Haunting?"

"It is like seeing ghosts. Ghosts from before I was born... But they are both still alive, no older than they were at my birth. And I cannot help but wonder... what it would have been like if they had been around..."

"I understand," Aeris said, snaking her arms around his neck from behind and resting them on his chest. She brought her chin down to his shoulder, holding him close as he reached up and placed one of his hands over hers.

"I feel like... a frightened child. It is so pathetic," he said, frowning with disgust at himself.

"No it isn't," Aeris assured him, lightly dropping a kiss onto his shoulder. "It's perfectly normal, Seph. You never had a relationship with them, and you've never seen them relate to one another. You're starting from the beginning. And so are they, in a way. They have to get to know you just like you have to get to know them. And then they have to decide how they feel about each other, too."

"I suppose..." he said, still sounding doubtful.

"I mean, you have to be honest. You haven't given Vincent much of a chance, Seph... He's trying, in his own way. He wants to be your father, I can see it when he looks at you."

Sephiroth snorted, looking uncomfortable and tensing up again at the mention of his father. Why talking about Vincent made him so uncomfortable and distant was beyond her sometimes... The man had done nothing but try to help him, long before he even knew Sephiroth was his son, and she'd never met two people so completely alike in all her life.

"He _is_, Seph... I know you don't believe he cares about you, but he does. And I think you care about him more than you'll admit. The two of you have so much in common that you just can't see... He has a lot of things to work through from his past, just like you do. Maybe having Lucrecia around will help him deal with some of it now. If... if they decide to stay together, that is."

"He had better be good to her..." Sephiroth said, in a tone that was almost a growl. A smile crossed Aeris' face at that, and she tightened her arms around his neck, feeling his heart beating beneath her hands.

"Oh, Seph," she said, laughing lightly. "It's good that you're concerned about your mother, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. Vincent loves her more than life itself."

Sephiroth squirmed a bit, obviously uncomfortable with the idea of them a couple, despite their being his parents. Or perhaps because of it. Aeris decided to let it go for the time being, lightly nuzzling her cheek against his neck. He was so stubborn... Oddly, she found that it was a quality that made him irresistible to her. He was a challenge, no matter how much they loved each other. _At least there will never be a dull moment_, she thought to herself, not for the first time.

"Why don't you go ahead and take your shower, and I'll get breakfast started?" she asked him a moment later, squeezing his hand between both of hers. She would regret having to let go of him, but now wasn't the time to think of her own desires. "And try to relax. You worry too much... I promise that this will be painless. Well, mostly."

She grinned, pleased when a small smile crossed his grim face. "Very well," he said a moment later, turning his head to look into her eyes over his shoulder. The feeling was so intense as their eyes met, as if they could see into each other's souls, that both of them shivered involuntarily at the power of it. They kissed each other softly, each still a bit shy even after so many months, before Aeris reluctantly released her hold on him.

"And don't use all the hot water!" she warned him with a mock-threatening glare, laughing as he smirked mischievously before taking his things into the bathroom.


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

Lucrecia nervously clung to Vincent's right hand as they stepped out of the old building in which he lived and into the light of morning in Junon Harbor. As they walked out the front door and onto the narrow stone road that led to Main Street, she stayed close to his side, nearly hiding behind him as she looked about with curious and worried glanced down at her as they walked together, and though she couldn't see his eyes behind the dark sunglasses he wore to protect them from the light, she knew instantly that he had noted her discomfort.

"Are you all right?" he asked, wondering if she was embarrassed to be seen with him in public. He had done his best to make himself look presentable that morning, something he hadn't cared about in many, many years. His long, black hair had been pulled back into a reasonably neat ponytail at the base of his neck, and he'd decided not to wear his blood red cape for once. He was wearing instead a simple long sleeved black shirt, loose fitting black pants, and his usual gold boots. He had even left his gun behind, because he knew the fact that he was always armed had often made Lucrecia uncomfortable in the past. He still wore his red bandana, however, something he didn't feel able to abandon, a few strands of his bangs falling over top of it and across his forehead.

Lucrecia seemed surprised at his question, as if she had been off in her own world. She'd arrived with only the clothes on her back, and when morning came she had been forced to improvise. She wore the same blue pants as the day before, but was now wearing a dark gray button-down shirt that belonged to Vincent. She had to roll up the sleeves and it hung nearly to her knees, but it was comfortable, and she found a odd kind of security in wearing his clothing. Because mornings in Junon Harbor were cool due to the breeze that blew in from the sea, she was also wearing his jacket, a shiny black one that all the personnel of the new Avalanche base had been issued courtesy of the local tailor. His name was written in gold script just above her heart, and there was a small gold phoenix with its wings spread wide that matched the much larger across the back of the jacket. She kept her free hand buried deep inside one of the pockets, the warmth of the jacket only increased by his scent and the simple knowledge that it belonged to him.

"It's just... strange," she said, managing a wistful smile. "Before, I was just so glad to be out of the lab, and so desperate to find you. I didn't really notice how much things have changed in thirty years..."

"Mm, I understand," he said, nodding down to her. "Everything is smaller, faster... There are so many more people, and the pollution has become far worse. I felt much the same way when I woke up..."

"Woke up?" she asked, sounding puzzled. She saw Vincent frown, as if he hadn't meant to reveal the information.

"I... slept for most of the thirty years after you-... Afterwards," he explained, carefully avoiding details, as if he couldn't bear to speak of her death. He would tell her later, maybe, when things had settled down. They were both dealing with enough at the moment without talk of coffins and basements full of skeletons, he reasoned, but could not help but wonder what his beloved Lucrecia might think of him once she knew. Explaining Chaos to her had been difficult enough, and he didn't know how much more it would take before he scared her away for good.

"Oh, I see," she said quietly, her tone worried and a little afraid. "How... how long have you been… awake?"

It hit her then how little she knew about his current life, or where he'd been since she died. It felt strange, after so quickly becoming lovers again, as if she wasn't quite sure she really knew him any more. She did her best to dismiss the fear, realizing that none of it mattered to her, that he was still the same man and that she wanted to be with him as much as ever. She was confident they would have plenty of time to fill in the details later.

"Nine months or so..." he answered after a moment of thought. "Avalanche ran across me while they were looking for Sephiroth, and woke me up."

"And then you found him right afterwards...?"

Vincent nodded as they left the little road that ran through the older part of town and stepped out onto Main Street, a wide road lined with endless tall buildings that contained different shops, offices, and apartments. "He joined us shortly thereafter, yes. After we went to the cave, of course..." He was still being vague, as if there were certain details he did not yet wish to share, but Lucrecia accepted it and decided not to pry. He would tell her more when he was ready.

As they walked, still holding hands as Vincent led the way toward Sephiroth and Aeris' apartment, Lucrecia noticed quite a few people out in the early afternoon. Some were jogging or walking their pets, while others were preparing to open their shops and businesses for the day. And as they passed by, most of those people stopped whatever they were doing and snapped to attention, staring first at Vincent, then at Lucrecia, then back at Vincent again. Looks of mild fear, surprise, and utter confusion spread across the faces of almost all those they passed, and Lucrecia nervously glanced up at Vincent to see if he'd noticed. She'd always hated crowds, and the stares left her feeling nervous and awkward. She felt herself subconsciously inching into Vincent's shadow, holding onto his hand even more tightly as she lowered her eyes to the ground.

Vincent sighed, shook his head, and looked down at her apologetically. "I am sorry about this... I am used to their stares, but you should not have to endure them on my account."

"Why are they looking at us like that?" she asked him quietly, now practically clinging to him. She felt as if everyone could see right through her and into her mind, their prying eyes uncovering her shameful past for all to see. She ducked her head and looked down at her feet as she walked, illogically afraid that everyone knew who she was and what she had done, and would soon run her out of town.

"Because of me... The way I look, the way I act, the things I can do. They are afraid of me, Lucrecia. They do not know how to react, especially since I am not usually out at this hour. And in a way, it is my own fault. I have not exactly been... social."

"Oh… Well, it's all right, Vincent," she said quickly, hoping to convince him that none of it was important despite her discomfort, fighting not to be so shy. "I... I don't care if they stare at us. Let them. I'm proud to be walking through town with you, no matter what they think. And besides... maybe they're just surprised to see you with such a gorgeous woman." Instead of smiling at her joke, he looked down at her very seriously and met her eyes from behind his dark glasses.

"You are quite right. They surely cannot believe that anyone would be involved with me, much less someone as beautiful as you..."

Lucrecia blushed, still embarrassed to hear him speak about her in such a reverent way, uneasy under his admiring gaze. Even though they had shared the previous night, it still felt so strange to be with him again, especially now that he was so obviously still hurting and dwelling on the tragedies of the past. He made her a bit nervous, she admitted to herself, because she wasn't sure what to say or do to make him happy, and was never quite certain how he would respond. Once, she'd felt as if they had been able to see into each other's souls, read each other's mind... But it had been a long time, and there had been quite a few changes to both of their lives. Though the love was still there, as strong as ever, the comfort of their relationship was not something they could simply fall back into. She trusted him, and wanted nothing more than to stay with him for the rest of her second life, but it was still going to take some getting used to. She suspected he felt much the same way, faced with the return of his lover after living completely alone for so long. But she was not about to give up, and she knew in her heart that somehow they would be all right.

"They live on the second floor of that building, just up ahead," Vincent told her, gesturing across the street and just up ahead with his clawed hand, ignoring a blond man in a leather aviator's jacket who had dropped his cigarette in his surprise as they passed him. Lucrecia could hear him curse and mutter something to himself in disbelief, scratching his head beneath the pilot goggles he wore like a hat. A moment later, he turned and hurried back into his home, and Lucrecia quickly looked away and back up at Vincent. She was reminded of how she'd always admired his much greater height as she craned her neck to meet his eyes. He made her feel safe just because he was so much taller, as if that somehow enabled him to better shelter her from harm.

"Have they lived together long?" she asked, curious about her son's life. She wanted to know so much, from his birth until the present, but his current situation seemed the most easy subject to broach.

"Since the day we got here," Vincent said, and she could see a pleased expression cross his face. "Sephiroth has mellowed out considerably since then."

"Well... that's good," Lucrecia said, though her mind replayed the scene from the day before, during which Sephiroth seemed ready to attack Vincent for what he perceived as a deception. _That_ was _mellow?_

Vincent nodded, and they crossed the street to reach the building he had indicated. It was one of many identical ones aligned in a perfect row, all built side-by-side, many of them connected like the row homes Lucrecia had lived in with her mother and older sister as a child in Upper Midgar. They were tall, most at least three stories, and appeared a bit aged but sturdy. There were small flower beds outside some of the windows, and a few of the buildings had large balconies that overlooked the street. It looked like a nice place to live, Lucrecia thought, able to see herself remaining in such a place for the rest of her life and feeling almost as if she had been there all along.

Vincent led the way to a doorway about half-way down the street. From what she could tell from the outside, it led into what had probably once been used as a shop, one of countless businesses that had been run on the base. It seemed that a lot of them had fallen out of use, though, probably after Avalanche had taken over. The town still seemed to be in a state of transition and rebirth, and she found herself growing curious about what it would become.

Vincent opened the door without knocking and led the way inside. She kept her hold on his hand, suddenly even more nervous than before, and looked around the room before them. There was a dusty counter, several old display cases, and other remnants of what had likely been a weapon shop. To the right, however, was a well lit, though narrow, flight of stairs, the way clearly illuminated by a series of lanterns mounted on the wall. That was the direction Vincent turned, and soon they were climbing up toward the second level. She assumed the former shop keeper had most likely lived in the apartment above his business, which seemed to be where they were now headed.

"I'm so nervous," she said quietly, keeping close to Vincent. She squeezed his hand tightly, comforted by his presence and nearly afraid to let go for fear of losing him.

"Try not to be... I am sure they are nervous as well."

"Are you?"

Vincent paused as they reached the top of the stairs, standing at the beginning of a short hallway that led forward to a heavy wooden door. "A little," he finally admitted. "I have spent very little time with them since arriving here."

"Well, I guess now is a good time to start, for both of us. Let's finally get to know our son..." They exchanged weak smiles, each filled with mixed pride and sorrow over their shared child. A moment later, they walked down the hall until they stood before the door, on which a wreath of colorful wild flowers hung. Someone had clearly taken great efforts at cleaning up the area and making it look warm and homey, and she had a feeling it wasn't Sephiroth.

Vincent lifted his claw to the door, then paused, turning to receive her approval first. He wanted to make sure she was ready, she realized, touched by his constant concern for her happiness and well being. She smiled and nodded, then nervously cleared her throat as he knocked.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Aeris and Sephiroth were both standing in the kitchen when they heard the knock at the door, Aeris putting the finishing touches on their breakfast and Sephiroth hovering over her shoulder, trying to help where he could but mostly just getting in the way. Aeris didn't really mind, giggling at his attempts to cook and happy just to have him with her. She had sensed his need to have her close for security that morning. Besides, his fumbling was rather cute, and she enjoyed teasing him immensely.

As the knock resounded through the apartment, Aeris and Sephiroth exchanged glances, searching each other's faces for a moment. Sephiroth's expression seemed to beg her to tell him what to do, and he looked so nervous that she instantly felt pity for him. She was a bit nervous, too. Having Elmyra living in town had been hard enough to adapt to, Sephiroth was still struggling to accept that Vincent was his father, and now she suddenly had a mother-in-law, too. _What next? _Aeris wondered absently, never ceasing to be amazed by the wild turns their lives often took.

"Someone ought to answer that," Sephiroth said warily, not thrilled by the prospect. Aeris grinned, lifting a hand to lightly touch his forearm.

"Why don't you? You can show your mother around."

"But... I..."

"Would you rather I came with you?"

His cheeks flushed bright red, and he looked up to meet her eyes with a very embarrassed expression on his face. He looked almost like a child who didn't want to admit to being afraid of the dark and wanting his nightlight left on. Aeris wordlessly took his hand, and together they left the kitchen and crossed the living room. Once at the door, Aeris squeezed his hand for support, then reached out and pulled the door open.

Right away, Aeris noticed the way Vincent looked. She had never seen him wear his hair in a pony tail before, for one thing, and he had left his cape behind as well. He was in the process of removing his sunglasses as she opened the door, and his red eyes looked more alive than she could ever recall. At his side and holding his hand, Lucrecia smiled up at her shyly, almost hiding behind Vincent and clearly wearing some of his clothing. Well, that was a good sign, she thought with a grin. They seemed to be getting along just fine if that was any indication.

"Hi!" Aeris said cheerfully, stepping aside to let them enter. She had to drag Sephiroth along with her, because he'd been too busy gawking at them to pay attention to his manners. Vincent nodded to her politely, and the corner of his mouth twitched in what she suspected might have been an attempt at a smile. He entered first, since Lucrecia was still partially hiding behind him, stepping past Aeris and nodding to Sephiroth. Sephiroth nodded back stiffly, averting his eyes, but did make more of an effort with his mother… possibly because she looked so frightened.

"Good morning, Mother," he said formally, sounding as if he had been coached on etiquette before their arrival. Aeris winced a bit guiltily.

"Good morning," she said quietly, smiling at him and looking a bit tearful already. Aeris had a feeling this was going to be along morning...

"Breakfast is almost done!" she interjected, smiling widely and trying to relax everyone else. She was a bit uncomfortable, too, but saw their shared meal as more of a celebration, and a chance for the family to finally get properly acquainted. She didn't want people in tears only moments after arriving.

"It... it smells wonderful," Lucrecia said, smiling at Aeris and obviously making an effort to be less timid. Aeris beamed, then gave Sephiroth a pointed look, her eyes passing from him to Lucrecia and back again. After a moment, he got the hint and awkwardly came up behind her to help her out of her jacket, which also obviously belonged to Vincent.

"Allow me... to take your jacket," Sephiroth said, and this time Aeris saw Vincent turn his head to hide a smirk at how formal he sounded. Lucrecia jumped a bit in surprise, then smiled up at her son and allowed him to help her. A moment later, Sephiroth turned down the hallway that led to their bedroom with the jacket, vanishing from sight. Aeris heaved a sigh of relief that things had been passable so far, then smiled at Vincent and Lucrecia hopefully.

"Ummm, you guys might as well come and sit out in the dining room," she said, feeling a bit awkward now that she was alone with both of them. She noticed the way Lucrecia was looking around their apartment, as if trying to memorize it and perhaps learn a bit about her son from studying his home. Aeris admitted that the place had a lot more of her touches than his, plants and flowers spread about and a number of colorful paintings on the walls. The floors were a polished wood with a few throw rugs here and there, and the furniture in the living room consisted of a deep blue couch, matching arm chair, and several end tables. A tall lamp stood in one corner, and Sephiroth's sword hung on the wall near the door, along with his trench coat. She refused to let him wear that around the house all the time like he wanted to. His all-black wardrobe, which he must have gotten at the same place Vincent bought most of his, was bad enough in her opinion. Aeris mentally shrugged, telling herself that if Sephiroth had really wanted to add or change anything about the decor, he would have said something. He seemed content to let her handle such matters, keeping his few belongings neatly organized and put away.

Vincent nodded, and he and Lucrecia followed Aeris through an entranceway and into a second room, about half the size of the first. A patterned area rug covered part of the floor, and a small table with four chairs stood in the center of it. There was a modest chandelier hanging above, and an arrangement of flowers in the center of the table that Aeris had grown and prepared herself. The table was set with four neat places, though Aeris frowned when she noticed the forks were on the wrong side of the plates. _Sephiroth... _She shook her head and tried to ignore the slight error, hoping no one else would notice or care. Her own mother certainly would have.

"Go ahead and sit down. Seph can help me bring everything out in a minute," Aeris said, wanting her guests to be comfortable. She wanted so badly for this to work out for her husband...

"Are you sure?" Vincent asked her, looking uncertain. "I can help you if you need it... At one point in time, I was a somewhat decent cook."

"_No_ you weren't!" Lucrecia exclaimed with a sudden giggle, looking up at him with amusement. "Need I call your attention to that night you tried to make Wutaiin food for us?"

Vincent actually blushed, something Aeris had thought his pale, almost deathly skin tone incapable of. "You ate it," he managed a moment later, smiling ever so slightly.

"I didn't want to be rude! It was terrible," she said, grinning at him playfully. "I figured it's safe to tell you now since it's been... thirty one years," she finally said after quickly doing the math in her head.

Vincent narrowed his eyes, a rare amusement shining in them. "_You _will be sleeping on the floor tonight if you keep it up. …Oh wait." The two of them exchanged amused glances, snickering together as if they'd forgotten Aeris was in the room. She watched with fascination, amazed at the way Vincent was suddenly so much more relaxed, and at the strength of the near-visible connection between them. It was incredible... No wonder he'd had been so devastated by her loss for so long. She truly did seem to be his other half, the missing piece that made him whole.

Sephiroth appeared in the doorway then, and Aeris looked up at him and beamed as Vincent pulled out a chair for Lucrecia, then sat down beside her, the two of them a bit closer than they needed to be.

"Come on, Seph, I could use the extra hands now," she said cheerfully, turning to walk into the kitchen through the narrow doorway. She saw him pause, looking over his parents with curiosity before silently following Aeris into the other room.

"This is so difficult..." Sephiroth muttered when they were alone, holding a hand to his head for a moment and squeezing his eyes shut as if in pain. Aeris frowned with concern, fearing one of his migraines that often led to episodes of panic and guilt and general bad temperament was about to begin, but after a moment he lowered his hand and took a deep breath. He glanced over at her and managed a small, reassuring smile. He was going to be okay, he was trying to tell her, even if he was uncomfortable.

"You're doing fine," Aeris told him, placing a gentle hand on his upper arm and rising onto her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "And the two of them seem to be in pretty good moods this morning," she added, smiling knowingly.

"So I see..." Sephiroth muttered, clearly unnerved by the subject. Aeris resisted sighing in frustration and instead turned and began to gather up the things they would need to bring to the table.

"Come on, Seph... I don't know about you, but I'm hungry!"

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

When the day was nearing its end, Vincent and Lucrecia returned to his home in the old building at the end of town, having spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for the clothing and supplies she would need, as well as familiarizing her with the town and all of the important locations within. Vincent led the way down the dimly lit hallway, and upon entering his dark basement apartment, crossed the main room to the single lamp he owned and switched it on. He could see just fine in the dark, but knew that Lucrecia could not, and he wanted for her to be comfortable more than anything. A faint yellow light spread across the room, chasing away some of the shadows. Lucrecia smiled at him a bit shyly as he turned to face her, setting down the bag she'd been carrying as she wondered why she was suddenly so nervous again. They had spent the night before together, after all. There was nothing to worry about, she told herself, even as she saw the same mild discomfort evident in Vincent's eyes.

"Are... you sure you do not mind staying here?" he asked her after a moment, looking around the room a bit warily as if he was still quite embarrassed. "I realize it is hardly the nicest or most comfortable place to be while you get adjusted..." His cheeks flushed a bit pink, and Lucrecia slowly crossed the room, stopping only a few feet away from him, willing herself to relax. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she wished to be anywhere but right there with him.

"It's fine," she assured him, happy to be with him no matter what the conditions might be. That desire also helped her overcome some of her nervousness, and she did her best to sound confident, wanting to reassure him that everything was all right. "It's very quiet here, private... I won't mind living here."

"L-living here?" Vincent repeated, sounding a bit surprised. "You really wish to...?

Permanently?" His eyes held a quiet disbelief, though the corner of his mouth threatened to turn up into a pleased smile, a smile she had missed more than anything.

"Of course I do," she answered quietly, looking up into his eyes. "I can't imagine living anywhere else, or being apart from you. I want to stay here with you, forever. If... if you want me to, that is..." She awkwardly looked down at her shoes, wondering if she had misread him. Maybe he needed his space, wanted his privacy... Maybe he didn't want to further their relationship so quickly, or at all. She swallowed hard, telling herself that no matter what, she would respect his decision. She felt she more than owed him that.

"No, it is not that!" Vincent exclaimed, stepping in closer and reaching out to touch her shoulder with his normal hand. "I would be _honored_ to have you live with me. I am just surprised that you would want to, that is all. I want you with me... I _need_ you with me. I want you here where I can protect you, even though I myself may place you in danger. I cannot bear to be without you again, Lucrecia..."

He bowed his head, clearly fighting to contain his emotions. There was so much pain and longing written on his face that she had to bite her lip to keep from crying, instead stepping forward and wrapping her arms around his neck, bringing him close. His body was tense at first, but after a few moments he released the breath he'd been holding and raised his arms to return her desperate embrace, dropping his head to rest on her shoulder.

They stood together that way for a long time, each clinging to the other as if they were afraid to let go. Lucrecia absently lifted a hand to smooth back his hair, which was as soft as she always remembered. She held him close as he rested heavily against her, blinking back tears of joy and relief. She was still so amazed that she could see him, touch him... She was so afraid she would awaken to find it had all been a dream, and that she was still back in the laboratory. When Vincent finally lifted his head, he hastily ran the back of his hand across his face, trying to hide the tears that had escaped his tight control.

"I apologize," he said quietly, looking quite embarrassed. "I did not mean to become so emotional, but I... I am just so relieved." His voice was still strained, and Lucrecia smiled at him tearfully, lifting a hand to brush the last of the tears from his pale cheeks. If the feelings they shared had been intense and overwhelming before her death, they were ten times that now, and it was nearly frightening, seeming to completely fill the air around them.

"It's okay," she assured him, still standing very close so that their bodies remained touching, each of them needing the reassurance that the other was real. "I know how you feel... This isn't an easy thing to deal with, Vincent, I expect you to be a little emotional. All of this will take some time, for both of us. I... I honestly didn't think you would accept me so easily..."

"I would always accept you," he told her, his eyes reverently scanning her face as if trying to burn it into his memory, looking at her with such open love and admiration that she could not help but blush. "No matter what. You are my reason for living... Even when you were not with me, I lived only for you, because I had promised you I would look after Sephiroth. I failed when he was young, and I planned to spend my entire life making up for that. And to have you return to me is simply more than I could have ever dreamed..."

"Shh," Lucrecia told him, gently kissing his lips. "Don't worry, this isn't a dream... and I'm not going to go anywhere."

She suddenly felt him become strangely tense in her arms, studying his face with worry. She found his expression to be solemn, his red eyes on the ceiling as if searching for something, his mouth turned down into a frown.

"Is... is something wrong?" she asked, even more alarmed when he suddenly broke the embrace, stepping away from her and looking down at the floor. "Vincent?" she nearly whispered, her stomach churning with nervousness, wondering if she had done something wrong. When he finally met her eyes again, though he looked quite uncertain, the intensity she found there caused her to shiver, and she couldn't look away.

"I..." he struggled, looking a bit flustered as he fought to find the words he wanted to say. "I... wish to make a request of you." He paused, almost as if he was afraid and gathering his nerve. Lucrecia's eyes remained locked with his, all of her attention completely focused on whatever he was trying to say. "Please, hear me out... I do not expect you to have a response immediately, and you are hardly required to even consider it. I will understand entirely if you say no..."

"Go ahead..." she said nervously, her voice trembling. Why did he suddenly look so unsure of himself, so worried? What could he possibly have to ask her? She watched with surprise as he suddenly dropped to one knee in front of her, his head down once more, long hair falling across his face and obscuring it from view. She stared down at the top of his head, watching as he reached into his pocket and produced a small box... And suddenly, it hit her. She gasped, lifting a shaking hand to cover her mouth.

"I have kept this for almost thirty-two years," he began, his deep voice so quiet it was barely more than a ghostly whisper. "I obtained it hoping that someday, I might have the opportunity to use it. And I… could not bear to part with it once you were gone. It represents everything I dreamed of, everything I wanted to be able to give you. Now, I realize I kept it for a reason much deeper than my own sorrow…"

Lucrecia could only stare at him, still in shock as he managed to look up at her, his red eyes alive with the strength of his love for her. "I have accepted that you might say no, but at least now I finally have the chance to ask you," he continued a bit more confidently, opening the box to reveal a beautiful yet tasteful diamond ring. "Lucrecia, though I know I am not worthy of having you at my side for the rest of my life, there is nothing on this Planet that would make me happier… Will you marry me?"

Lucrecia immediately began to cry, and Vincent quickly looked away, visibly cringing as if preparing for the harsh blow of rejection. But a moment later, when he heard her laugh softly at his reaction, he dared to glance up again, surprised to find her grinning like a fool.

"Yes!" she managed to get out between sobs of joy, taking a hold of his arm and helping him to stand before throwing herself into his arms. "Not even death could keep me from being your wife."

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

**A few weeks later…**

Professor Hojo was pleased to see that the mail had arrived while he was at lunch, placed in a neat stack upon his desk in the main Shin-ra laboratory in Midgar. He leafed through the first few envelopes, dismissing them as junk mail, until the fourth one caught his attention. It was addressed to him by hand, in a script that was somehow familiar, but there was no return address.

Intrigued, he set down the rest of the mail and carefully tore open the envelope with arthritic hands. Inside was a single piece of paper, neatly folded several times over. He removed the document and quickly unfolded it, frowning in confusion. It seemed to be test results of some kind, though why he would be receiving such a thing through the mail was beyond him. It was then he noticed the same vaguely familiar script scrawled across the top of the paper, just above the wall of computer generated numbers and symbols.

"_Did you really think YOU could have fathered such a powerful, intelligent, handsome man? Sorry to burst your bubble."_

"What in the world…" Hojo muttered, scanning the information below. All at once, it hit him exactly what he was looking at. "No… It couldn't be..."

There, right in front of his face, were Sephiroth's DNA markers, lined up beside those of Vincent Valentine, alarmingly similar in appearance. As if that was not enough, when his eyes reached the bottom of the document, the professor read a sentence that nearly stopped his aging heart.

"_To the probability of 99.999999%, Vincent Valentine is the biological father of patient Sephiroth."_

"_What?! NO! _That isn't possible!" he exclaimed into the empty laboratory, his hands now shaking as he stared down at the offending sheet of paper. "This can't be real…"

Still trying to convince himself that it was a trick or some kind of sick joke, he stuffed the results back inside the envelope, now realizing the handwriting belonged to Lucrecia.

"_Damn her_," he hissed, shoving the letter inside the pocket of his lab coat. Both furious at the attempt to fool him and terrified that the information might in fact be correct, Hojo stormed off in a panic, determined to pull up his own DNA information on Sephiroth and run a test of his own. Lucrecia may have thought she was clever, but Hojo knew he was more intelligent by far and would have the last laugh.

_**~ The End ~**_

* * *

><p>((<strong>Author's Notes: <strong>lol at Hojo? I Hope you enjoyed this story and will take a moment to drop me a review! This fic is a part of my Irony of Fate AU, and the next story in the series is "On My Honor," followed by "Transformations." Please check them out! I am still actively writing, so feel free to follow me, too, and check out my profile. ~ _JenesisX_


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